Blood Stone
by FlyingChange
Summary: A mysterious stone said to harness an awesome power. An ancient story, lost through the centuries. Steven Stone heads to Mount Pyre to investigate the rumours of the stone. However, Team Rocket's organization is also seeking its power. Will the investigation prove to have a deadly outcome?
1. Prologue: Rumour of the Stone

_**Hello readers! I have decided to republish this story. I have been working on making it much better, and I like the direction it is going. As always, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy! Leave a review if you wish to.**_

' _A legend is told that dates back centuries ago. Before the fateful Hoenn legend of Kyogre and Groudon. Of ancient times, when the first people had come to the land. A stone had been discovered by the ancient people. A stone said to hold an amazing power. This power was used by the king of the land. To protect and rule his people. However, one day, the power had fallen into the wrong hands. The most trusted to the king, had stolen the stone. Using it for his own personal gain, the land began to fall into terrible ruin. The land had dried up, and both Pokemon and people, began to die. The king confronted the traitor to end his tyranny. However, the destruction could not be stopped. Earthquakes ravaged the land and terrible storms began to brew. Only one option was left. The king sacrificed himself to the stone. And thus, the power had been sealed and the stone hidden forever. Or so it was believed._ '

Steven Stone walked down the hallway of the third floor of the Devon Corporation Building in Rustboro City. His steps echoed off the white, tile flooring. He was dressed in a pale orange, buttoned down shirt with a brown vest over it. The young man's pants were beige with the bottoms tucked into his shin-high, dark brown hiking boots. His hair was a light blusih-silver and kept short in the back. His bangs and cowlicks hung about haphazardly, giving off a somewhat unkempt appearance. Though that was not the case.

As he walked, Steven fell into thought. An hour prior, he had received a phone call from his father. Joseph Stone, the President of the Devon Corporation, had asked him to attend a vital meeting. It was not uncommon for him to do so, but what perturbed the young man was the utter lack of information. Usually, his father would give some, if not all, the details over the phone. This made Steven both highly curious and bewildered. The urgent tone Mr. Stone had used made it sound like the meeting was of utmost importance. So, Steven had dropped what he was doing and flew to Rustboro City straight away. Now, he came to a halt outside Mr. Stone's office and knocked on the door. A muffled 'come in' sounded from beyond the threshold and he opened the door.

Steven entered the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. The room was fairly large and had plenty of open space. The walls were decorated with various framed paintings of Pokemon, some resurrected from ancient fossils of long ago. A mahogany desk sat at the far end of the room and to its right were glass display cases with diverse, rare stones. Steven glanced at them before turning his attention to the man sitting behind the desk. Mr. Stone was dressed in a dark purple, pin-striped suit with a navy-blue tie. A strange combination Steven had thought. His white hair had been combed back into spikes, a bit smaller than Steven's. He busied himself with writing something down on one of the abundant papers on his desk. The man seemed so engrossed that he did not bother to look up. Steven shook his head at this before he cleared his throat. "You wanted to talk to me?"

Mr. Stone looked up from his paperwork as Steven spoke. A smile graced his features upon seeing his son. "Ah Steven. Thank you for coming on such short notice. I know you just got back from a trip to the Sinnoh Region this morning. I hope my calling you wasn't a hassle."

"No. I was unpacking at home."

"Did you enjoy your trip?"

"I did, but what did you need to talk to me about?"

"Straight to the point I see. I really would love to know where you got your impatience from. You should-"

"Dad."

Mr. Stone gave a laugh at how flustered the young man before him was becoming. He cleared his throat and the smile faded from his face. "I came across a rather troubling rumour this morning. I came across it when I was out showing some new inventions to the children of the city." Steven was quite aware of Mr. Stone's habit of ditching his assistant, Kennedy, to go wander inconspicuously around Rustboro. He really could not blame the man, for being stuck in an office all day would drive him nuts too. He gave a nod, waiting for him to continue rather than saying anything about it. "Well, as I was taking a small detour, I happened upon two oddly dressed young men. They were standing nearby to me and I overheard the conversation.  
"Normally, I would have paid no mind but they seemed very suspicious. They said something about an unusual, rare stone with strange properties. I'm not sure what, but they said something about the power being like a Mega Stone. But what troubles me the most, was the organization they were from. They mentioned something about Team Rocket. I believe they are the band of thieves plaguing the Kanto Region."

Steven took this all in, folding his arms lightly across his chest. He brought a hand to his chin in thought, closing his eyes. "A stone that is like a Mega Stone. I wonder what sort of power it truly exhibits."

"I'm unsure but regardless, I'm afraid it may ferment disaster if found by that team."

The young man opened his eyes and looked over at Mr. Stone. "Did you notify Officer Jenny about this?"

"Not yet. I'm not sure she would investigate it due to an unknown stone being involved."

"And that's why you asked me to come here?"

"Yes. I wanted to ask your opinion on the matter."

Steven let his arms drop to his sides as he began to walk about the room. "Did they say where it was located at all?"

"No, but they did say something about Mount Pyre."

He stopped in his tracks. "Mount Pyre? You don't suppose they could have been talking about the Red or Blue Orb, do you?"

"I don't think so, but it is a possibility now that you mention it. Would you be willing to check it out? If it was the Orbs they were talking about, it could be disastrous if they get their hands on them."

"I can leave right away. If something is amiss, I'll give Officer Jenny a call."

Mr. Stone watched as Steven turned toward the door. "Steven." The young man stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder. "I know you are fully capable of defending yourself. One would expect less from Hoenn's Champion. However, this can be a dangerous trip. Please be careful. And if it is possible, notify me if everything is all right."

Steven regarded him with a serious expression before breaking out into a smile. "Don't worry. I'll be careful." With that said, the young man turned on his heels and exited the room.

Mr. Stone watched as his son left, closing the door behind him. Alone with his thoughts, the older man sighed to himself. He was a bit reluctant to have him go, especially knowing Steven just returned from a long trip. The white-haired man glanced over at his desk phone. Perhaps he should call him and ask for him to depart in the morning. Or send someone else altogether. Mr. Stone reached for the phone but stayed his hand. It would be all for naught. The young man, much like himself, could be on the stubborn side when it came to doing the right thing. He let out a breath before he continued his paperwork. Steven would be just fine, he was sure of it.


	2. Chapter One: Libero

Mount Pyre. A place where Pokemon, and sometimes humans, could share eternal rest with one another. It sat in the middle of a small tributary near Lilycove City. For some, it gave them the chills to even set foot at the base of the mountain. Despite the fear or uneasiness, it still attracted its fair share of people. Some believed the place to have an air of tranquility. A place to remember the good times trainers shared with their Pokemon. For others, it was a place of mystery, battle and wonder.

"Right here, Skarmory!" Steven called out over the rushing wind blowing around him. The Armor Bird Pokemon dipped his wing to the left as he turned toward the summit. He held on, shifting his body with Skarmory's, as the Pokemon circled where he wished to land. With a final fly by, Skarmory came in for a landing, touching down on the hard, rocky terrain. Steven slid off his back and landed on his feet.

He gave Skarmory a pat and smiled at the Pokemon. "Thank you, Skarmory." He removed his Pokeball from his belt and pointed it at the steel bird. "Return." Once Skarmory returned to his Pokeball, Steven replaced the Pokeball before looking ahead. In front of him, was a shrine atop the mountain; a long set of stairs leading up to it. Steven glanced around quickly, seeing no signs of anyone being there, before he started up the steps. The young man gazed about as he climbed the old stone steps, spotting cracked and missing sections of wall. It had eroded much more since the last time he had come. Despite this, the white pictographs etched in the stone surface remained strong.

It depicted a lament's tale of the great battle between the Legendary Pokemon Kyogre and Groudon. It was not as detailed as Granite Cave's pictographs but it was still the same story. Majority of the people, if not all in Hoenn, had heard the tale. He paused momentarily to look at one of the walls depicting Kyogre before reaching the top. To his relief, the two orbs rested upon their stone altar. The orbs were finely polished and made up of elegant stone, one blue and one red. Both had the power of reviving the ancient Pokemon from their slumber. Red for Groudon and blue for Kyogre. However, the opposite colour of the orb could quell their rampage. Due to this, the orbs were kept under constant guard and protection. To prevent people from their selfish gain to acquire the Legendary Pokemon.

Steven looked at the orbs a moment longer, before glancing around the altar. ' _If they wanted the orbs, they would have stolen at least one of them by now. So… what exactly are they after? Could it be a different stone altogether?_ ' As he was about to turn away, something caught his eye. On the right-hand side, beyond the altar, was a decrepit wall. It was heavily crusted with dried mud and a few bits of foliage. The wall appeared ordinary but he could faintly make out more etching covered up. ' _Is there something under there?_ ' He moved toward it, stopping before the wall. He fished a stainless-steel knife from his pocket and squat down. Steven pressed a button on the side and the blade swung out, locking. Careful of the cracks in the wall, he gently began to work on removing the dried Earth. It was a slow process, but he did not mind it one bit.

Minutes slowly turned to a half an hour. Steven set down his knife and opened a pocket on his vest. Removing a handkerchief, he dusted off the wall the best he could. Much of the dirt had been cleared away, revealing the surface of the cracked wall. More pictographs decorated the stone but were very different from the story of Groudon and Kyogre. This time, it featured something else. It appeared to be a Pokemon, but he had never seen anything like it. It resembled the Legendary Pokemon, Mewtwo. But why did it look so different? ' _If it is Mewtwo, why is it inscribed here of all places?_ ' A frown crossed his lips as he placed a hand to his chin in thought. It had nothing to do with the Hoenn Legend, so why was it here?

Buzzz. Buzzz. Steven heard his phone vibrate in one of the many pockets in his vest. He felt around the garment, locating the device in a bottom pouch. He removed the phone and answered it. "Steven."

"I take it you made it safely to Mount Pyre and there are no problems, Steven?"

The young man blinked. He had completely forgot to give Mr. Stone a call. "Sorry dad. I got a bit sidetracked."

"Sidetracked?"

"Yes. The orbs are completely fine but I found something else. It's a mural of some sort. It doesn't match the ones from the Legend at all. I'm going to stick around here for a bit."

"Well don't hang around too long. A weather bulletin was issued for the area you are in. It calls for a severe storm in about an hour or so. Give yourself enough time to leave without getting caught up in it."

A storm. Steven glanced at the horizon, dark clouds making their way across the ocean. It could not have happened at a more inopportune time. Judging by how far out the storm looked, he still had a good half hour. Forty minutes' tops. "Thanks for the heads up. I'm going to check for more murals while I still can."

"All right. And Steven?"

"Yes?"

"Please be careful. I don't need you getting hurt or killed over this."

"Don't worry. I'll be fine" Steven said before he looked at his watch. "It's around one thirty now. I'll stop by the corporation around two thirty, three o'clock."

"Okay. See you then."

Steven hung up the phone and looked back toward the horizon briefly. The weather would surely complicate things. It was one of the reasons he preferred caves as opposed to open spaces. A breath escaped his lips as he turned his attention back to the wall, studying it. Beside the odd, irregularly shaped Mewtwo look-alike, was a small, round circle. Rather than it being painted white, it was coloured in completely black. A strange text surrounded the mural, though he was unsure of what language it was. On the other side of the strange Pokemon, was what appeared to be a tombstone. What could it all mean?

He frowned in thought as he looked at the mural directly below the first. It was horribly cracked and difficult to make out. Steven picked up the handkerchief and gently, yet firmly, brushed at the worn stone. What he could make out, was what looked like a castle? It did not make any sense. He looked at the round, black sphere once more. Was it possibly a Mega Stone? But why was it here of all places? One thing was for sure, he could not dawdle all day looking at the wall. Steven pulled up his camera on his phone and stood up. It was not the best camera, but it would have to do. Taking a step back, he snapped a few photographs. He placed the phone back in his pocket and gave the wall one last look-over.

' _Over heeeere._ '

"Is someone there?" Steven looked around, the wind starting to pick up. ' _Maybe it was my imagination?_ ' He moved away from the mural and head down the stone steps. He reached the bottom and stepped around the shrine, rocks and dirt crumpling under his feet. Several Pokemon graves were positioned about the site, grass growing in small patches here and there. He stepped around the graves, being mindful not to tread on sacred ground. Steven was unsure of what he was exactly looking for but kept walking. As he approached a cluster of older graves, a rush of cold air swept around him. Was it the encroaching storm? Steven glanced at the grass, finding it completely still. Ghost type Pokemon perhaps? They were rather playful towards trainers and other Pokemon. But somehow, it felt much different. Like the chill of an ill omen.

' _Heeere._ ' Steven came to an abrupt halt, looking around his surroundings. That was not his imagination this time. Something was not right. _Rustle_. He spun on his heels quickly, but saw nothing. Not even a Pokemon. The wind? It had been picking up every so often, bringing with it the fresh scent of impending rain. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he turned back around. There was no sense in getting jittery over nothing. Steven glanced at the horizon; the foreboding, dark clouds advancing at a faster rate than he had first thought. Maybe a good twenty minutes if he was lucky. Either way, it was not much time.

Steven looked back toward the grave markers, one capturing his attention. It was placed further than the rest and looked much older by comparison. He hesitated ever so slightly before he moved toward the gravestone. As he did, he was hit by another cold chill that seemed to go right through him. Only this time, it was accompanied by a strange feeling. That he was being watched and the closer he got to the tombstone, the stronger the feeling grew. Steven came to a stop at the edge of the grave, looking at the stone. It was slate in colour, cracks spreading across its uneven surface. The grass beside the stone was yellowing, and the flowers were wilting. ' _Strange… the other markers aren't like that._ ' He squinted a bit, trying to make out the epitaph. It was worn from weather and time, making it difficult to read. But from what he could tell, it appeared to be the same writing as the mural. One word was visible. "Libero?"

Before he could remove his phone to snap a photo, the sound of running footsteps caught his attention. He quickly turned around, spotting an oddly dressed young trainer heading toward him. He was dressed in a black uniform with a matching 'paper boy' hat. On the front of the uniform shirt, was a red, blocked 'R' printed on it. He wore white gloves up to his elbows and matching shin-high boots. Could this person be from the team his father told him about? Steven's eyes narrowed as he reached for a Pokeball on his belt. He was about to unclip it, when he felt another chill. Only this time, his gut told him something was behind him. Something formidable.

The trainer, who had been running toward him, came to a sudden stop. His eyes widened, bearing an expression of fear… no terror. Despite his mind telling him to run, Steven quickly spun on his heels. As he turned, he was suddenly hit by a dark mass in the chest. It was strong enough to knock him backwards off his feet. He hit the ground, the sheer force expelling the air out of his lungs. Steven rolled to a stop a few feet away, face down in the dirt.

A scream. He balled his hands into fists, dirt gathering under his grip. His chest felt like it was on fire. More screams… a bright light? Steven lifted his head up a bit, gritting his teeth. His vision blurred in and out of focus, the world spinning. He narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the scene. The young trainer ahead was lifted into the air, some sort of shadow holding him by the neck. ' _I've got to stop it._ ' Steven reached for a Pokeball on his belt and unhooked it. His eyelids felt heavy, the corners of his vision slowly darkening. He fought against it, moving the Pokeball in front of him. Another scream. Before he could release his Pokemon, the young trainer was suddenly thrust off the summit, falling to his demise. Then the whole world went black.

The shadow that appeared so suddenly, along with the light, soon vanished into thin air. The Pokeball shook in Steven's limp hand before it opened on its own. A small, dual Steel/Rock Type Pokemon appeared in front of him. She bore an angular head and large, blue eyes. Her body was covered in protective, steel plates. "Aron!" The Pokemon exclaimed upon seeing her trainer face down in the dirt. She ran to his side and gave his cheek a gentle nudge, waiting expectantly. He always got up when she did that. When she got no response, however, she nudged his arm then side. Aron let out a whimper before she turned her gaze skyward.

The storm was encroaching far too quickly; the scent of rain nearly intoxicating. The sky was beginning to overcast as the wind picked up. The little Pokemon knew it would not be safe for long at the summit. Aron looked around, trying to find some sort of shelter. But the space was too open. She looked back at her trainer, her eyes displaying her worry. "Aron." The Pokemon bit his vest and began to tug as hard as she could. _Rip_! She managed to move him barely an inch when she fell back as the fabric suddenly gave and tumbled back. "Ron…" It was no use. Aron soon gave up, letting out another whimper. She gave his side another nudge before she lay down beside him.

Drip. Drip. The feeling of water droplets was enough to bring Steven around. He let out a soft groan, opening his eyes slowly. The scent of Earth filled his nostrils as dirt and grass greeted his vision. Memories of the attack soon flooded back and he closed his eyes. What in the world was that thing? It was unlike anything he had seen but the attack surely looked to be some sort of Shadow Ball. A Pokemon's cry brought him out of his reverie. He opened his eyes once more to see wide, worried blue ones staring back. "Aron?" Steven questioned as he pushed himself into a sitting position. Aron jumped into his lap happily, gently nuzzling his chest. He looked down at the Pokemon and pat her head. ' _She must have released herself._ ' He thought as he glanced at her Pokeball. "It's okay. Sorry to have worried you."

 _Boom_! Thunder roared overhead, loud enough to cause the two to jump. A gust of wind picked up, carrying with it the promise of immediate rain. "Ar." Steven glanced at Aron and then turned his attention skyward. It had become completely overcast and everything around him had taken a darker hue of colour. Droplets of rain began to fall and he could feel Aron move closer to him to avoid them.

' _How long was I unconscious?_ ' He thought to himself as he watched the sky for another moment. A nudge brought his attention back to the Pokemon. "Don't worry, Aron. Here, get inside your Pokeball." Steven picked up her Pokeball and pointed it at her. The Steel Type looked at him as if she was reluctant to return; a bit of worry in her eyes. "It's okay. We're going to go home now." He gave her a reassuring smile and she happily returned to her ball. Steven replaced the Pokeball in its proper place before he rose slowly to his feet. His body ached from the hit he sustained and the memories surfaced over again. That shadowy presence…. The more he thought about it, the less he believed it to be a Pokemon. Normally, Pokemon would not attack a human unless they felt threatened. And that light and scream. What really became of that young trainer? He could have sworn he was cast off the summit. But the events were a bit foggy to him. It seemed he had more questions than answers.

Thunder clapped suddenly as lightning ripped through the sky with a deadly white radiance. First thing was first. He had to get off the mountain and fast. Steven removed another ball from his belt and tossed it into the air. Skarmory appeared before him and looked at his trainer. He soon turned his attention away and gazed at the sky. "Skah!"

"I know. We must get out of here fast. Sorry to have you fly in such weather." Steven apologised, giving the Pokemon a pat on the wing. The Pokemon spoke his name and motioned for him to get on. With one last look toward the decrepit tombstone, he climbed up onto Skarmory's back and spoke. "Come on. Let's get to Rustboro City!" Skarmory spread his wings and then took off into the stormy skies.

 _ **And thus concludes chapter one. What will happen next? Tune in next time for chapter two. As soon as it is done being revised ^^. As always, thank you for reading.**_


	3. Chapter Two: Pain and Voices

Twilight had fallen, the sun having just set over the horizon. Mr. Stone sat in his office, staring absently at the small desk clock. The second hand ticked loudly, the sound resonating throughout the silent room. An antique desk lamp sat on the far corner of the desk, shade removed and resting next to it. The light was enough to illuminate nearly the whole room. The older man preferred it that was as opposed to the glare of the overhead florescent lights. Though the favourable lighting scheme was far from his mind now. He had more pressing matters to think about. Primarily, his son.

Per the recent weather update on his BuzzNav, the storm had hit Mount Pyre three hours prior. Normally, this would not have bothered him in the slightest. Storms happened. However, he had not seen or heard from Steven since one-thirty in the afternoon. It was now going on five o'clock. Nearly four hours had passed. True, the young man did give a whole new meaning to being 'fashionably early' when returning from trips. But it was unlike him not to call or be this delayed. Steven was a bright man and would not be so reckless to put his Pokémon and himself in obvious danger. So, where was he now?

Mr. Stone tapped his finger on the smooth surface of his desk vacantly. His parental instincts were starting to kick in and a seed of worry blossomed in the pit of his gut. He could not help but think something dreadful had happened. ' _No, get hold of yourself. Just try giving him a call again._ ' He could not allow panic to take over rational thinking. He took a deep breath then released it. Mr. Stone picked up his phone and dialed Steven's number. Instead of ringing, the phone went straight to voice mail. He listened to his son's chipper voice for a moment before hanging up without leaving a message. ' _His battery must be dead.'_

He tapped the phone in thought before he picked it up once more. Maybe he was on his way right now? Mr. Stone pressed zero on the keypad and waited for an answer. Hopefully the front desk was still occupied. On the third ring, a cheerful, feminine voice answered. "Devon Corporation front desk."

"Glad I caught you before you left, Clara."

"Oh, hello President. Did you need anything or wish me to stay?"

"No, no. I just wanted to know if Steven called or showed up yet."

"Steven? No. I haven't seen him since he left this afternoon. No calls either."

Mr. Stone frowned at this. "All right. Please let security know to inform me when he arrives before you leave. Thank you and have a safe trip home."

"I will, President. Thank you and good night."

He hung up the phone and sat back in his chair, bringing his hand to his chin in quiet thought. Just where could he have gone? He had tried his home phone in Mossdeep City two hours ago, and left a message. Surely if he had gone home, he would have picked up the message and called. There was only one more place he could be. Mr. Stone lifted the phone off the receiver and dialed a number he had long ago memorized. He listened to it ring a few times before it was answered. "Hello, Wallace? This is Joseph Stone. I'm just calling to ask if you may have seen or heard from Steven in the last couple of hours."

Wallace, the Sootopolis Gym Leader, had been close friends with Steven for countless years. When together, the two were usually inseparable. Mr. Stone know that if Steven contacted anyone more often about his whereabouts, it was Wallace. He just hoped that it would be the case this time. "No, I haven't seen Steven in two weeks. Why? Is something the matter?"

"I'm not sure. He went on an errand this afternoon and he hasn't come back yet. We were set to meet around two-thirty, three o'clock."

"It's after five… that doesn't sound like Steven." There was rustling on the other line, the sound of pots clanging. "I'm not busy right now. I can head on over right now."

"It's okay, Wallace. I'm sure he'll turn up-"

"Think nothing of it, Mr. Stone. I'll see you soon." A click on the other end signified that there would be no use in arguing. He let out a soft sigh and rose to his feet. He walked over to the window and gazed out at the quiet, dark streets. Where could Steven be?

A half hour prior

It had been a bit of a harrowing flight to the Rustboro City Pokémon Centre. The storm's winds were unusually strong and it had taken a toll on Skarmory. The two had been forced to seek shelter to avoid the worst part of the storm. He would have liked to stay in the shelter longer, but his Pokémon wanted to continue. Skarmory had quite the determination, but was now exhausted. Steven quickly dismounted the Pokémon as soon as they landed, and gave him a few pats. "I'm sorry, Skarmory. We should have left sooner."

Skarmory looked over at his trainer and gave a smile. "Skah."

Steven returned it slightly and spoke. "Come on, you need a well-deserved rest." He recalled his Pokémon and walked through the electronic doors.

The centre was pretty barren; no trainers sitting or hanging around the spacious lobby. He gave a quick glance around, before approaching the main desk. Nurse Joy greeted him with a smile. Her pink hair was in an odd loop on each side of her head and she wore a typical nursing uniform. "Good evening. What can I do for you?"

"Certainly! I'll take your Pokémon for a few minutes." Steven removed his Pokeballs and placed them onto the Pokeball tray. "It shouldn't take too long. Feel free to take a seat." Nurse Joy, along with her Chansey, soon disappeared through a set of double doors.

A soft breath escaped Steven's lips as he ran a hand through his hair. Exhaustion was finally beginning to set in, and a good night's sleep sounded perfect right about now. He let his hand drop to his side and walked over to one of the lobby chairs. Taking a seat, Steven made himself as comfortable as he could. His mind wandered back to the events that went down at Mount Pyre. That odd Pokémon-like creature in the mural… it did not look like on in its natural state. It could have been a Mega form or something else. Something possibly more sinister than that. Steven felt a chill run down his spine. That shadow figure. What was it and why did it-?

"Ngh…" Steven brought his hand to his head and closed his eyes against a sharp pain that rain through his mind. It came on abruptly and ended within seconds. As if it had not happened. He let his hand fall from his head, opened his eyes. What was that just now? ' _Perhaps lack of sleep is finally catching up to me._ ' A quick nap would remedy the situation. The young man shifted in his seat, trying to get some comfort from the hard, plastic chair. As he did, Steven checked the time. It could not have been that late. He rolled up his sleeve, then blinked. His watch had stopped at two o'clock. Steven raised it to his ear. There was no ticking, just silence. ' _I just replaced the battery two days ago._ '

A sight left him as he let his arm fall to his lap. Steven looked about the room, spotting a wall clock. It was late… very late. Knowing his father, he would be starting to worry. But, he would have called, right? Steven removed his phone from his vest pocket. It, too, was dead. Perfect. The man replaced the device and got to his feet. He might as well give Mr. Stone a call from here and tell him he was delayed. A single step taken was toward the public phones, when a familiar tone sounded. Steven looked over at the double doors to see Nurse Joy emerge. He walked toward her and met her halfway. "Your Pokémon are in perfect health. Skarmory is all rested up, but I suggest letting it continue to do so until at least tomorrow."

"Thank you and I intend to do just that." He took back his Pokeballs and replaced them onto his belt. Steven thanked her once more, before he walked out of the Pokémon Centre. A cool breeze greeted him, and it felt refreshing. The Devon Corporation was only a block or two away, the corporations rising above the rest of the surrounding buildings. It would be an easy walk.

Within minutes, Steven stood before the two flights of steps leading up to the Devon building. Most of the windows were darkened, meaning a lot of the staff had gone home for the evening. His eyes fell upon the top floor and was relieved to see one of the windows faintly lit up. Thankfully, Mr. Stone had not gone home just yet. A twinge of guilt ran through him. He was probably waiting for him. Without a single call and being late, his father would most likely be worried and a bit irate. With any luck, not too much of either.

Steven made it up the first slight and onto the landing, before starting up the next. Once at the top, he moved to the double doors. As he grasped the cool, metal handle, the sharp pain suddenly returned. He let out a grunt as he stepped back, his hands shooting up to his head. The pain was far more excruciating this time and no relief seemed to be in sight. Steven stumbled back a step and then another. It felt as if his head would explode at any given moment. He doubled over, gritting his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut. ' _Steven_ '

A voice. Was it his father's? Steven opened his eyes and looked at the double doors. The world seemed to list back and forth as if on a vast, stormy sea. It was nauseating and he could feel bile rising in his throat. He closed his eyes against it, leaning forward. It was enough to make him sick. ' _Steeeeven_.' The voice again, his name said in a deep, dark tone. The pain refused to leave him. The man let out a soft groan. ' _Steeeeven._ ' He opened his eyes, sweat beading his brow. Who was calling him? He looked around, his eyes glazing and breaths shallow from the pain.

"Who..." He breathed out before looking straight ahead. The building before him began to sway, leaning to its side and distorting. Almost warping unnaturally. The sight was enough to cause Steven to stumble almost drunkenly, his eyes rolling back. The last thing he felt was his body falling and then nothing.

 _ **This chapter came out a bit short, but it happens. The next chapter will surely have much more to it. It is almost finished being revised/re-written so it will be up soon. A week possibly? Who knows XD As always, thank you for reading ^^**_


	4. Chapter Three: A Fleeting Dream

_**Chapter Three is finally up. Sorry readers for the delay. I was busy with work, now that I have two solid jobs. ^^; Anyway, Chapter Four is in the process of being revised. It will hopefully be up sometime (with any luck) this week or next. As always, thank you for reading.**_

It was getting late, but Mr. Stone did not have the will to go home just yet. He was growing more worried as each slow minute ticked by. Time seemed to drag along only adding to his stress. It was nearing the three-and-a-half-hour mark. ' _I should have waited until tomorrow. He just got back from Sinnoh and must have been tired. What if he misjudged the storm?_ ' He thought to himself before shaking his head. No. Even if he was exhausted, Steven was always careful. But… why was he not back yet? And surely, he could have gotten to a phone if he was all right. ' _Pull yourself together. He may have gone straight home to sleep. He does forget to call occasionally._ '

Mr. Stone tried to convince himself, though he knew the latter statement was not entirely true. He breathed out a sigh and rose to his feet. A bought of fresh air might do him a world of good right about now. He checked his mobile phone for any messages before he tucked it away in his pocket. Leaving the desk lamp on, he exited his office and shut the door behind him. A quiet, barren hallway greeted him as he started down it. The air conditioning had just shut itself off for the night, leaving the place cold enough for the hairs on his arms to stand up. His steps echoed off the walls, seemingly the only sound within the building. If anything, it was peaceful.

Mr. Stone took the elevator down to the lobby and stepped off it. It was vacant here too, except for one security guard. The man gave a nod to him. "Going home, Mr. President?"

"Not just yet. I'm just getting some fresh air." He smiled at the man before he pushed through the double doors. The temperature outside was much warmer and a lot more comfortable. The air had the heavy scent of rain… would it storm here too? Mr. Stone looked around before he froze. On the landing, was the figure of a prone young man. He lay on his side, his back to him. His build and hair were a dead give-away on the identity of the man. "Steven?!" The white-haired man hurried down the steps and knelt at his son's side. He hesitated before he rolled him over, looking him over carefully. He was still wearing the same outfit he wore when he had left. Only this time, it was tattered and dirty. From what he could tell, he did not appear to have any injuries.

With the back of his hand, he placed it to his cheek then forehead. ' _He a bit too warm... But he seemed perfectly healthy before he left._ ' "Steven, can you hear me?" Mr. Stone moved his hand to Steven's chest and shook him gently. A soft groan escaped the young man's lips but he did not stir. The older man grit his teeth, worry apparent in his eyes. Had he been ill and pushed himself into collapsing? Whatever was the case, he would find out soon enough. Right now, he was more concerned with getting Steven into a warm, comfortable bed. If he was ill, the ground and soon-to-be rain was not going to help.

Mr. Stone managed to get Steven into a sitting position when he heard footsteps. "Mr. President? What happened?"

He looked over his shoulder to see his assistant, Kennedy, hurry down the first flight of steps. He was dressed in a black suit with a white undershirt and red tie. Kennedy's hair was brown in colour and kept short. Relief showed upon Mr. Stone's face. "Kennedy, thank goodness you're here."

"That's a first, Mr. President, but what happened to Steven?"

"I'm not sure. He has a slight temperature. Can you help me get him to my car? I want to get him home before it rains."

Kennedy gave a nod and took hold of Steven's underarms. He lifted him to his feet and over his shoulder. Gripping the younger man's belt, Kennedy made his way down the second flight. Mr. Stone watched quietly as droplets of rain began to fall in a greater number, splashing against the pavement. Why had Steven not said anything? But he really looked fine and acted normally. So, what had happened? ' _I'll have to ask him when he wakes up._ ' Mr. Stone thought to himself as he followed Kennedy.

Bleakness surrounded Steven as he felt as if his body was floating in an endless void. A dream? It must have been… but it felt too real to be on. Sudden light. Swirls of purples and blues drifted around him before gathering together several feet before him. Steven blinked as the colours blended together to form a picture. The colours suddenly exploded into a radiant white. He brought a hand up to shield his eyes from it, before it dimmed. The darkness surrounding him was replaced by a dim haze like an old movie. Steven lowered his arm and found himself in a cave. "Where?" He did a slow three-sixty before facing forward once more. ' _This must be a dream…_ '

"It's over here, sir!"

Faint voices, like echoes, carried about the zagged stone walls. Steven quickly pinpointed the direction it originated from. Before him was a dark tunnel, like a gaping black hole. Despite the eerie feel to it, Steven pressed forward into the darkness. He felt along the left-hand wall in order not to walk straight into something. Within a few steps, the tunnel opened into yet another cavern. Only this time, it was much smaller and could only fit about three people comfortably. At the far end of the cavern was an odd-looking pillar. It appeared to be made up of a glassy, black rock. Obsidian no doubt. Etch work lined the length of the smooth surface, deep crimson in colour. They formed strange symbols that he had no clue as to meaning or language.

Atop the pillar, was an irregular, large stone. It was one he had never seen before. The stone was roughly the size of his palm and coarse-looking. The colouring was an intense purple that could easily be mistaken for black. On its uneven surface, deep markings were carved into it. However, they were too small to make out from the distance at which he stood. No other object, human or otherwise, occupied the cavern. So… what was that voice just now? ' _Maybe it was imagination._ ' He concluded. ' _I must be dreaming after all._ ' Steven turned his attention back to the pedestal and stone. He hesitated before taking a step forward and then another.

"I told you it was here! What he seeks!"

"How can you be so sure this is it?"

Words, like wind, whispered around him. Steven paused in mid-step and looked around. "Is someone there?" He called out, but only heard his echo in response. He was the only one here. Perhaps an illusion? Steven's eyes rested back onto the pedestal, but he did not take a step forward. The scene before him began to dissipate, returning to swirls of colour before vanishing. He then found himself plunged into darkness once more.

Warmth. The dull sound of a car engine. Steven slowly opened his eyes, his mind a bit fuzzy. Where in the world was he? After a moment, he concluded he was in a vehicle. The front passenger seat was pushed all the way back, allowing him to stay nearly flat on his side. He turned slightly, spotting his father in the driver's seat. The older man's attention was solely on the road that he had not noticed him wake. As they approached a traffic light, Steven opted to speak up. "Dad?"

Mr. Stone stopped at the light and immediately looked over at Steven. He was more than relieved to see him awake. "Thank goodness you're awake. How are you feeling?"

Steven sat up gingerly, feeling for the seat control level. "I'm all right."

"Alright? I found you unconscious in the front of the corporation. Do you remember what happened?" Mr. Stone asked, looking at him seriously before he reached out and felt his forehead. "And you're still warm."

Steven looked at his father and flinched slightly from his sudden touch. He had remembered leaving the Pokémon Centre and heading to Devon Corporation. The last thing he could recall, was walking up the steps toward the front door. A silent sigh escaped his lips. He knew his father wanted answers. But what answers could he give? The man was unsure what had happened himself. Instead, he regarded him with a slight smile. "I guess I must have been more tired than I thought. I must have gotten drowsy or something."

"Drowsy." Mr. Stone repeated, regarding his son with a skeptical look. He sighed to himself as he looked ahead once more. It was obvious that the man was not believing what he said. "Even so. I think you should see a doctor."

"It's not necessary. I'm okay, I just need some sleep." Steven said as he located the level and pulled it up. With the seat fixed, he sat back against it.

"And you are going to rest when you get home." Mr. Stone answered without leaving room for argument.

The light changed and Mr. Stone continued to drive home in silence. It did not take long for the two to reach home and Mr. Stone pulled into the driveway. The house was a modest, two-story size, painted a pale blue. A small, well-kept garden lined the front of the house. Five cement steps sat near the driveway, leading up to the porch. Mr. Stone cut the engine and made sure the handbrake was up before he got out. Steven followed suit and shut the door, joining his father on the driver's side. A small area beside the steps was freshly cleared, the soil tilled. "Taking up gardening?"

"You like it? I was planning on adding some rocks to line it. I was thinking along the lines of some nice shale or limestone."

Steven brought a hand to his chin in thought. "Shale and arkose would blend nicely."

Mr. Stone smiled and nudged his arm with his elbow. "Come on inside." He stared up the stairs, searching for the house key on the keyring. Steven followed him up the steps and stopped by the front door as his father opened it. Once the door was opened, the two entered the house. Steven felt along the wall, locating the light switch. He slipped it on and the room was flooded with illumination. It was exactly how he remembered it. The living room was spacious and nicely furnished. A sofa and chair took up the centre and a television was mounted on the far wall. Display cases were arranged next to the left and right walls. Inside them, were rare rocks, stones, minerals and fossils. Family pictures hung on the walls along with different Pokémon paintings. A staircase sat at the left corner of the room and an archway to the kitchen was next to it.

Steven removed his shoes at the door and stepped into the living room. A dull ache ran through his mind. Most likely a headache from the day's events. He brought a hand up and closed his eyes, rubbing them. A good night's sleep would most likely cure it. "Steven." The young man let his hand drop and opened his eyes. His father stood beside him, regarding him with a concerned expression. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I am. I'm just tired." Steven answered, before giving his father a reassuring smile. "You worry too much, dad. I would tell you if something was wrong."

This seemed to relax the older man a bit. "Okay. Okay. I'll make some soup for dinner. Why don't you go upstairs and rest until it's ready?"

"I would rather take a shower. I'm a bit dirty."

"A bit? That's an understatement."

"Thanks, dad." Steven retorted flatly, giving him a look.

Mr. Stone broke into a smile, the first Steven had seen before he left for Mount Pyre. "Well, it's supposed to storm tonight so make it quick." Steven nodded and started toward the stairs. "And Steven?" The young man looked over his shoulder. "Be careful, okay? If you feel drowsy or unwell, call me."

"I will dad. But don't worry so much." He gave a smile before he headed up the steps.

Mr. Stone watched him disappear up the steps and frowned. ' _What happened on that mountain? There's something wrong with him…_ ' A heavy sigh left the white-haired man as he walked off to the kitchen.


	5. Chapter Four: Nightmare

Rain had begun to fall on Rustboro City in abundance, creating small puddles on the sidewalks and streets. The scent of damp grass and rain hung heavily in the air, refreshing to some. Wallace made his way down the street, a few blocks from the Devon Corporation building. He was dressed in a light blue wind-breaker and black pants. His hair was pale green in colour; his bangs long and a strip of hair on each side resembling slack lightning bolts. On his head was a white beret, the hat and himself kept dry by a black umbrella. "I guess the weather forecaster was not lying about the rain this time." He commented to himself, not truly minding the damp weather. Specializing in Water Types and running the same type gym, he felt completely at home in the rain. Wallace could have walked for hours in the storm, if not for his current 'mission'. And that, was a trip to Mr. Stone's home.

Having arrived at the Devon Corporation, he had found out he was fifteen minutes too late. A security guard had informed him that Mr. Stone left for home with Steven. Wallace would have gone back to Sootopolis City, but decided against it. Two things did not sit right with the Gym Leader. One had been the lack of phone call from Mr. Stone. Being as Steven showed up, the worry-wart man would have called him in some sort of relief. It happened on occasion when his best friend was delayed returning from a trip overseas. Or the man could have forgotten. If that had transpired, then something could have happened to his friend. Another one of his concerns. Steven was quite the punctual man and kept his word, especially when meeting with someone. Yes, he could be late sometimes, but he did call. The only time this had happened, was when he had gone caving and the entrance collapsed. Luckily, the silver-haired man was spared injury but he had worried the pants off both his father and Wallace. Hopefully he had not gotten himself hurt wherever he had gone.

Wallace snapped from his thoughts as he turned the corner. He walked a half of a block more before he reached Mr. Stone's house. The man's car was parked in the driveway and a few lights were on. Good, he at least would not be waking them up if he knocked. Wallace climbed the steps and stopped by the front door. He shook out his umbrella, closed it and leaned it against the siding. The Gym Leader straightened and knocked on the door. He took a step back and waited patiently for an answer. Within a few moments, the front door opened, Mr. Stone appearing in the doorway. The older man gave a smile and moved away from the door so he could enter. "Oh, Wallace. I'm so sorry I did not call you. Come inside."

"It's all right. I take it Steven finally showed up." Wallace said as he walked inside and Mr. Stone closed the door.

"Yes, he did. He just went upstairs to shower. Make yourself at home. I was making some soup."

"You have me sold." Wallace smiled as he removed his coat and hung it up, revealing a form-fitting purple sweater. He removed his shoes, placed them besides Steven's, and moved away from the coat rack. As he did, he could faintly hear the sound of running water. Wallace glanced at the stairwell before heading into the kitchen. The fresh fragrance of tomato and seasonings greeted him as he entered. The kitchen was a decent size, with a table in the centre. At the far end was a line of counters, a sink and a stove. To the right, the refrigerator. Wallace quickly spotted Mr. Stone at the stove, stirring the contents of the pot. He quietly joined him, studying the older man. He seemed distracted and not his usual, cheery self. Had something happened? After a moment, Wallace finally spoke up. "Is something wrong?"

* * *

Steven stood under the warmth of the shower head. He closed his eyes as the water beat down on his head and body, washing away the dirt of the day. The dull ache had not left him and he was nearly positive it was from fatigue. He wiped the water from his face with his hand before opening his eyes, looking at the floor. The water swirled in a lazy, clockwise circle before disappearing down the depths of the drain. His mind wandered back to the Devon Corporation. The man could recall the trip to the Pokemon Centre and reaching the Devon building. After that, everything had become a haze. ' _Why can't I remember what happened after I reached the door?_ ' Spirals of water. Spirals… colours. A sharp pain surged through his mind and he squeezed his eyes shut against it; his hand pressed firmly against the tile wall to steady himself.

Swirls of colour. Steven waited for the pain to pass before opening his eyes. Memories of a dark space returned. The hues of purples and blues. They had formed something… but what? He tried to think but could not recall anything more. Steven took a breath and let it out. There was no sense in trying to force the memories back. Hopefully, they would return with some sleep. Something he had found his body craving more and more of. It had been a long day.

Without any further delay, Steven finished washing and rinsed off before shutting the faucet. He grabbed a towel and dried off, before stepping out of the shower. Changing into a long-sleeved white shirt and black pajama pants, Steven cleaned up the bathroom. Once he finished, he opened the bathroom door, a cool blast of air greeting him. He felt a chill run down his spine and involuntarily crossed his arms over his chest. He shut the door quietly behind him and started down the hallway, stopping at the steps. A voice? Steven looked down them, hearing faint voices. His father's and… Wallace? What on Earth was he doing here at this time? A yawn escaped his lips. Maybe he was just hearing things.. He was tired after all. With a shrug of his shoulders, Steven continued down the hallway and stopped at his old room. Opening the door, he stepped inside and shut it behind him.

Darkness greeted him and Steven felt along the wall for the light switch. With a single flick, the room was flooded with light. It was how he had left it. A twin bed was positioned in the centre of the far wall with a side table beside the headboard. Upon it, was a lamp, an alarm clock and a small note book. To the left, was a window- the curtains drawn closed. A closet was positioned across the room from the bed, kept closed. Steven walked to the closet and opened the right hand door. He stooped down and retrieved a few bowls and some Pokemon food. Releasing Aron, Metagross and Skarmory, Steven filled up their bowls with food. "Eat up, guys. We had a long week."

Once his Pokemon finished their food, Steven returned them to their balls and shut the light. He walked over to his bed and sat down, rubbing his eyes. A good night's sleep would do wonders. _Pop_! The silver-haired man looked over to the side. Aron had appeared from her Pokeball and was looking up at him. "Ron."

"What's the matter?"

"Aron." She crawled up to the top of the bed and curled up below his pillow. Steven smiled at this and shook his head. He climbed into bed and pulled the covers up over the Iron Pokemon and himself. "Good night, Aron."

* * *

Mr. Stone shut the stove and gathered up the dishes. Wallace shifted his weight from one foot to the other, folding his arms lightly across his chest. "Wallace. Can you go get Steven and tell him dinner is ready? I will set the table."

"Sure." Wallace gave a smile and moved away from the stove and out of the kitchen. Once he cleared the threshold, the smile faded from his face. He had asked Mr. Stone what was wrong but the question had not been answered. Instead, the older man had insisted it was nothing and completely changed the subject. Though it was a bit characteristic for Mr. Stone to do something like that… his expression was off. ' _Something is definitely not right around here._ '

Wallace pushed the thoughts aside for now and started up the steps. Being as he did not hear the water running, it meant he must have finished his shower. So if his guess was right, he would find Steven in his old room. He took a quick left and stopped at the first door on the right. Wallace knocked on the door a few times and waited for an answer. Receiving none, he hesitated before twisting the knob, opening the door. "Steven?"

It did not take long for the green-haired man to locate his friend. He was sound asleep on his bed; empty Pokemon food bowls on the other side of the room. ' _He must have fed his Pokemon and gone to sleep._ ' Wallace shook his head and entered the room quietly. He stopped at his bedside, looking down at him. Steven was lying on his side, an arm draped over Aron- whom was curled up in his chest. His breathing was soft and even, signifying that the man was obviously asleep. ' _He must have been tired…_ ' Deciding against waking him up, the other grabbed the blanket from the bottom of the bed. Wallace covered him up and smiled. He turned around and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Wallace head back down the stairs and entered the kitchen. Mr. Stone had just finished setting the table and looked up. "Is Steven coming down?"

"No. He was sleeping so I didn't want to wake him up." He fell silent as the man's face fell. He seemed more concerned than anything. This time, Wallace was going to get to the bottom of things. No more changing the subject. "Mr. Stone. What is going on?"

A soft breath escaped Mr. Stone's lips as he took a seat at the table. He looked down at the table cloth, poking at it. "I'm worried about Steven." Wallace took a seat before him, staying silent and waiting for him to continue. "I found him passed out outside the Devon Corporation. When he came to, he said it was because he was drowsy. It may have been so… but something was not right about him. I've never known Steven to loose consciousness like that before. He was also running a slight fever."

"A fever…" Wallace brought his hand to his chin in thought. "You don't suppose he was not feeling well this morning and didn't say anything, do you? He is a bit stubborn when it comes to his health."

"He seemed perfectly healthy this morning. And he seemed a bit like himself when he came to. He was a little quieter than usual, but… I don't know. I'm just worried." Mr. Stone looked up at Wallace. "He never told me what went on or why he was late."

Wallace gave Mr. Stone a reassuring smile. "I'm sure he was just tired from everything that went on. What matters is that he's home and pretty much himself. As for what happened, what do you say we ask him in the morning?"

The older man gave Wallace a slight smile. "Thank you for being here, Wallace."

"No problem. You're like my second dad after all."

* * *

' _Steeeeeeeeven._ '

Steven awoke with a start, inhaling sharply. Darkness surrounded him, the only light coming from brief flashes of lightning. Rain drummed against the house, thunder shaking the foundation. The storm seemed to bear the same intensity as the one that had slammed Mount Pyre. But how did the storm manage to move into Rustboro City so quickly? _Rustle_. Steven's attention snapped away from the window. It sounded as if something was in the room, but it was too dark to see. Perhaps a little light would do perfectly. He attempted to reach for the side table, when he found himself unable to move.

' _What?_ ' Steven grit his teeth as he tried to move. ' _Why can't I move?_ ' He felt his pulse begin to quicken as a strange sensation nestled in his gut. _Click_. _Click._ His eyes shot in the direction of where the closet was. A flash of lightning proved the room to be empty. Was his imagination getting the best of him? ' _It must be. I'm probably just over ti-_ ' Steven's eyes widened at the next flash. The closet, that had been closed, was now wide open like a gaping black hole.

Steven's heart began to slam in his chest. He was sure the closet had been closed a second before. The man grit his teeth as he tried once more to move an arm or even a leg. It was as if he was cemented in place. Sweat began to bead his brow as fear began to creep into his being. _Rustle_. Steven looked from where the closet was, to the foot of his bed. Was something down there? Anxiety and the primitive need to run away quickly took over his rational mind. His breaths came in quick pants as he tried harder to move. He had to get out of here!

A third flash, oh how he wished it never happened. A grotesque hand was on the foot of his bed. It was distorted, some fingers longer than others and disjointed. Claws replaces nails- long and sickle-shaped. ' _This is a dream. Wake up!_ ' He squeezed his eyes shut. It had to be a dream.

' _Steeeeven._ '

' _Just wake up. Just wake up…_ ' Sharp points of claws dragging across his stomach.

' _Steeeeven._ '

* * *

Steven woke with a gasp, shooting straight up in his bed. He frantically felt around for the side table lamp, nearly falling out of the bed. Light flooded the room, giving off a safe and comforting feeling. Gasping breaths left him as he tried to calm himself down. His heart still beat wildly in his chest, his body trembling. He had never experienced a nightmare like that before and frankly it shook him to the core. The feeling of utter helplessness… Steven shook his head, ridding himself of the image.

The young man ran a hand through his sweat-soaked hair, managing to get hold of himself. He closed his eyes, resting his head in his hand. "Aron?" Steven opened his eyes, and looked to the side. Aron was looking up at him, one foot on his leg. She cocked her head to the side, worry in her eyes.

"I'm okay, Aron. I just had a bad dream. That's all." He gave the small Steel Type a pat on the head. Thunder rumbled outside, rain pounding against the house. It sent a chill down his spine. It nearly sounded as intense as the storm from his dream. Steven forced the thought from his mind, shooting the closet a wary glance. ' _Come on… you're a bit too old to think something is coming out of the closet._ ' He scolded his mind for thinking in such a way. However, he still found himself rising from his bed. It could not hurt to be cautious, right?

Steven picked up the desk chair and carried it to the closet door. He jammed it under the knob securely then stepped back to examine it. Aron watched from the foot of the bed curiously with her head cocked. Satisfied that the chair was secured tightly, he could not help but feel a bit foolish. Here he was, a grown man, afraid of shadows in the closet. A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he turned away from the door. Steven glanced at the clock, the time only one-twelve in the morning. It was still early and he decided to get more sleep.

Steven walked back to his bed and sat down on the edge. Sleep might not come as easily as he thought. He glanced at the closet door then down at the carpet. He could not help but feel as if he was losing a bit of his sanity. Ever since that trip up at Mount Pyre. The man rubbed his temples. There was no sense in thinking too much about it now. He would probably be able to figure things out clearly once he slept. "Ar. Aron."

Steven looked at the Pokemon as she nudged his side. He gave a smile and pat her on the head gently. "I suppose you're right. Come on, let's get some sleep." Steven switched off the light and lay down. Pulling the covers up, he turned on his side. Aron moved next to him and tunneled under the blanket. She snuggled up close to him, making him feel much more relaxed. "Good night, Aron." He put an arm around the Pokemon and soon fell back to sleep.


	6. Chapter Five: A Warning

Steven sat at the kitchen table with his phone, a map, a few books, pens and his laptop. Beside the computer, was a steaming hot cup of coffee. It was still early yet, only seven-thirty. The sky outside was hazed over, rain still falling lazily from the darkened clouds. It did not show any signs of stopping any time soon. Which made it a perfect day to get some research done on the trip to Mount Pyre. He had dressed in a plain, white sleeveless shirt and dark blue jeans. He picked up his phone off the table and plugged in a USB cable. He connected it to the laptop and began to upload the photographs. He only hoped that the quality would be good enough to study. Steven picked up the coffee mug and blew on the contents before taking a sip. He clicked on the export button with a free hand and waited for the process to finish. "Ah, so typical to see you working the moment you get up."

The young man blinked at the sudden voice behind him, nearly spilling his coffee. Steven set the mug down and turned in his chair slightly. "Wallace? When did you get here?" ' _So it was his voice I had heard last night._ '

Wallace waved a hand and moved out from behind him. "Your dad called me yesterday looking for you. Since you didn't answer your phone, I came here to help him look for you." The taller man explained as he pulled a chair up. He sat down, wearing- what oddly looked like- one of his old blue dig shirts and baggy shorts. Baggy to him, but fit Wallace thankfully well. The shirt, however, was a little small, therefore comical to look at.

"By any chance.. Are you wearing my clothes?"

"Oh this?" The green-haired man asked, motioning to his outfit. "Your dad let me borrow these. It's not my fault you're shorter than I am. Besides, I didn't bring spare clothes because I hurried out the door. See, I was worried that something happened to you. But you showed up on your own just fine."

Guilt welled up within him. So he had worried his father enough for him to call Wallace. And it obviously worried his best friend too. Steven scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I got held up by the storm and my PokeNav battery died along with my phone. When I reached the Pokemon Centre, I was too worried about Skarmory flying and exhausting himself."

"Storm? You mean the one that was by Mount Pyre that the forecasters were having a field day with?" Steven gave a nod. "Well, I must say it is like you to think about your Pokemon first. But what were you doing out on Mount Pyre in that? Pretty reckless, even for you, to get held up by a storm that you must have seen coming."

Steven looked at him quietly. It was pretty reckless-sounding, but he would have left sooner if not for the events that took place up there. He looked back at his laptop, the pictures finally done uploading. "I was checking in on the Blue and Red Orbs."

"The Red and Blue Orbs…" Wallace repeated, looking at his friend a bit suspiciously. "Why in the world were you checking on them. They are always watched by those old folk that live nearby. Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Not really. My father asked me to check something out, so I went. Everything was fine but I got held up by a mural."

"A mural?"

"Yes. I took some pictures."

"It should not have taken you that long to leave. I don't think a mural on a rock wall was worth a risk like flying in such a storm. You really could have been hurt. Your Pokemon too."

"I know.. I know." Steven let out a heavy, silent sigh. It was not like he purposely waited until the last second. He could not tell his friend about that shadow either. Wallace would probably think he was seeing things next. So instead, he just let it go for now. He was about to click on the folder that held the pictures, when yet another voice spoke behind them. "Good morning Steven, Wallace. Did you both sleep well?" Both men turned to see Mr. Stone standing in the archway. He, too, was still dressed in purple pajamas with a dark, hunter green robe over them. Little Castforms decorated the majority of the garment.

"I slept like a baby. But then again, I always do when it rains." Wallace replied. "And I must say, that robe is rather… stylish."

Mr. Stone smiled brightly. "Thank you! It was a birthday present from Steven." He looked over at his son. He certainly looked better than he did last night, but he still appeared quite tired. "How did you sleep, Steven?"

"I slept well." He answered, giving his father a small, reassuring smile. If he mentioned a night terror, he had the feeling that he would be taking a trip to the nearest psychologist.

The older man must have bought it, for he did not say a word. Instead, he seemed much happier and back to his usual self. Which Steven was glad about. "So what are you doing at this hour of the morning. I thought you would have slept in." Mr. Stone nodded toward the stack of items on the table.

"Remember when I told you about that mural I found over the phone? Well, I have pictures I took of them. I was uploading them just now to try and make out what they were of. The photos just finished uploading if you want to take a look." Mr. Stone, along with Wallace, moved closer to the screen while Steven pushed the computer back a bit so they could see. "I found these at the summit, past where the orbs were kept. The wall was densely caked with mud so it was easy to miss." He opened the folder and clicked on the first photo- it depicting the entire, un-earthed wall. The pictographs appeared too small to really make out.

Wallace placed his hand on the back of Steven's chair as he leaned closer. "That's an interesting find. But, what is that?" The taller man pointed to the area of wall depicting the strange Pokemon and orb. Steven clicked on another photo, a larger version of the area.

"Is that some sort of Mega Stone?"

Steven glanced at his father and than looked back at the screen. "I thought the same thing at first. But something about it doesn't seem right." He looked from the oddly-shaped stone to the strange Pokemon. Though, that was not what attracted his attention. No, it was its hands. Drawn crudely, it still resembled the one he had seen in his dream. Steven continued to stare at the Pokemon, or what it appeared to be. ' _I must have dreamt about it from looking at the mural._ ' He thought to himself.

"Steven."

The young man nearly jumped at the sound of his name, a hand on his shoulder. He looked from the owner of the hand, Wallace, to Mr. Stone. The two were regarding him with curious looks. "We asked if you took a closer picture of the stone. Daydreaming?" The green-haired man asked, lifting his hand off the other's shoulder.

"Actually yes. Sorry." Steven clicked on the next photo, a close up of the odd stone. "There's some sort of writing on it, but I couldn't make it out."

Mr. Stone leaned closer and examined the photo. He looked at Steven. "There's no writing on it."

' _No writing?_ ' He looked at the photograph and a bewildered expression clouded his features. ' _But… where did I see that stone with-_ ' A ping of pain ran through his skull, similar to the one at the Pokemon Centre. It had vanished as soon as it came on. Steven glanced at the two, the pair studying the photograph. A silent sigh of relief overcame him. His father seemed to be back to himself. The young man did not want him to worry. There was too much going on for the search to be delayed. Deep down he knew, they had to find this stone and fast.

"You know. The artwork on the wall resembles the ones said to be depicted on the Cave of Origin. Though this looks a bit more primitive." Wallace spoke up, folding his arms across his chest. He leaned forward and pointed to the next photo. "Can you pull up that last one?"

With a nod, Steven moved the mouse and clicked on the photo. The laptop began to hum in a low tone, the laptop freezing. The screen slowly formed what resembled fissures and blocks. "What-" Smoke rose from the keyboard and sparks flew. Within seconds, the entire keyboard lit up, flames licking the screen. Steven jumped up from his chair, moving back along with Wallace and Mr. Stone. He quickly moved to the sink, pulling open the cabinet. Grabbing the fire extinguisher, he pulled the pin and sprayed down the computer. Once the fire was out, Steven used a free hand to wave the smoke away, while Mr. Stone opened up a window. The computer was completely destroyed, with no hopes of repairing it. Along with the laptop, the damage had spread to his cell phone.

Steven picked it up by the corner and instantly dropped it. From the phone, he looked at the books and papers. They had not suffered any damage… but why? The fire was rather intense, it surely would have spread to them as well. He set the extinguisher back where it belonged and walked back over to the table. Steven placed a hand to his chin in thought, before moving to one of the maps. It could have damaged the phone via the USB port… "It's strange that only the computer and phone were destroyed." Mr. Stone commented as he walked over to the table.

"I thought the same thing, but my phone is attached to the computer." He fell silent as he stared at the damage. ' _Why did it suddenly ignite like that? The computer was not over-heating. Even if it was, it should not have set on fire._ ' He pushed the thoughts aside for now and looked over at Wallace. "Wallace. You said that the pictographs were similar to the Cave of Origin. Do you think if we went back to Mount Pyre, you could find some clues linking the two?"

The green-haired man brought a hand to his chin in thought. "Well, there's a library in Sootopolis. If we get new pictures and bring them there, we can compare the two. I've never seen the pictographs in the cave first-hand. But there were tourists at the time. Early explorers, one might say. They have all the information in the book, along with old photographs. It might be of some help."

Steven picked up an aerial map of Mount Pyre and a pen. He set it in a clear spot and marked an 'X' on an area after studying it. "The mural was right about here. If we leave right away, we can figure this out sooner."

"Seems like a plan. But may I ask what this is all about?" The Gym Leader asked, looking from Steven to Mr. Stone.

"I'm not sure what this mural has to do with anything. Steven went to check on the Blue and Red Orbs after I overheard Team Racket, or whatever they call themselves, talking about some powerful stone. Since the two orbs are intact, they might have been referring to this one in the mural. Since we don't know what it is, it could be something similar to a Mega Stone."

"Or something more powerful than that. We won't know until we find it." Steven added in, tapping the pen lightly on the map. "Before they do. Assuming they don't have as much information as we do. And what we have is limited."

"I can see the reason for the urgency. Since Mount Pyre is close to Sootopolis, we will be able to research right away. First order of business, is to get out of these clothes. No offense, Steven, but you're too small."

"Ha, ha." Steven retorted before looking back at the map. He listened to Mr. Stone and Wallace speak, but did not follow their conversation. Instead, he was too engrossed in his own thoughts. He was eager to start, but something was telling him to be wary. That this whole thing could turn out to be dangerous. They knew little to nothing about what they were seeking. What if it was for the better?

' _Too late to turn back now. It has awakened_.' Steven brought a hand up to his head as his temple throbbed. Another headache? ' _Too late._ ' A voice? He had heard it somewhere before…?

"Steven."

The young man picked his head up to see Wallace and Mr. Stone looking at him. His friend bore an amused expression while Mr. Stone was a bit concerned. "Daydreaming again? I was asking you if you wanted to get ready to go. The sooner the better, no?"

"Yes, of course. I just need to grab some things. I'll be right back." Steven gave a smile and got up from his chair. He collected the burned up computer and phone, carrying the items with him carefully. The young man discarded them in the trash before disappearing out of the kitchen.

"Wallace."

The Gym Leader turned his attention from the archway of the kitchen to Mr. Stone. Rather then his cheerful self, his expression was once again clouded. As if worry, once again, had nestled within him. "Does he seem right to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"There's something wrong with him. I don't know what it is. His personality seems off to me. He's not himself."

Wallace glanced back at where Steven disappeared to and then back at Mr. Stone. "Come to think of it, he is spacing out quite a bit. You don't suppose he still isn't feeling well, do you?"

"It could be.. But I'm not sure. He just.. Seems off. Like something is bothering him."

"Maybe you should ask him?" Wallace suggested, giving a slight shrug of his shoulders.

Mr. Stone shook his head solemnly. "I doubt he would give me a straight answer. Since yesterday, he has been beating around the bush. It's not like him at all."

The Gym Leader nodded at this and folded his arms. "Come to think of it, he is a bit more open to talk to. He didn't say much about what happened there. Only that he took some pictures and left. But it should not have taken so long. You don't think he passed out over there, do you? And maybe that's the reason he's avoiding questions? It could also explain why he was late getting back and why he didn't call."

"I don't know, but I am very worried about him. He's all I have left and if something were to happen to him.. I don't know what I would do." Mr. Stone regarded him with a serious expression. "Can you please keep an eye on him? If anything happens, no matter how minor, please make sure he gets to a hospital. A doctor even."

"Of course." The Gym Leader gave a reassuring smile and placed a hand on the man's shoulder gently. "I'll tell you what. I will take him to a doctor I know in Sootopolis. Then we can go to Mount Pyre. That way, it will be a load off your shoulders. The photographs can wait for the time being. At least until we make sure that Steven is perfectly fine. He might just be a bit too pre-occupied with finding that rock. He is a bit of a rock nerd as it is."

Mr. Stone gave a slight smile and seemed to relax a bit at Wallace's words. "You may be right. Thank you, Wallace."

* * *

Steven finished getting a bag together. Inside, he had packed a spare camera, a change of clothes in case they were longer than intended, a few tools and two of his Pokemon. He had decided to take both Aron and Metagross. Aron for helping to find more clues and Metagross for protection, in case they ran into anyone up there. Again. He paused in zipping his backpack, memories flooding back to him. What ever became of that other person? Was that shadow the same thing from his dream? If so.. Was it really a dream then? ' _Come on now, Steven. You're being ridiculous._ '

' _Are you?_ '

The young man picked his head up and looked about his room. There was no one. ' _I must really be losing my mind._ ' He shook his head and finished zipping his backpack shut. He lifted a strap over his shoulder and turned toward the door. As he did, he stopped in his tracks. Something was blocking the exit to the room. It was a shape, clearly human, milky-white in colour, but undistinguishable. There were no features at all. Steven was taken aback by it, but uttered no sound.

' _It is free._ '

"Wh.." Steven breathed out, the voice one he had heard before. The same one from the kitchen and just now.

' _A warning. Et qui venturus est._ '

With a blink of the eye, it was suddenly gone as quickly as it had appeared. "Et… what?" Steven shook his head and rubbed his eyes. "What is going on?"

 _Knock_. _Knock_. The door to his room opened and Wallace poked his head in. "Hey. What's taking you so long. You aren't packing your whole room are you? Or were you taking lucky rocks with you?"

The silver-haired man let his hand drop and looked over at his best friend. "I just finished."

"Hey.. Are you okay? You look a little pale." Wallace entered the room and stopped before him, folding his arms. "Is there something up?"

"No. I just thought I misplaced something. That's all."

"Uh..huh." The taller man said before taking a glance about the room. He spotted the chair up against the closet door. ' _That certainly was not there last night…_ ' He looked back at Steven and poked him in the forehead. "You would tell me if something was wrong, right?"

"I would." Steven said, looking at Wallace directly. "I see you've changed, so I take it you're ready to go too?"

' _He changed the subject.._ ' Wallace thought but pushed it aside for now. "Of course. I can't walk about in such clothing. I like form-fitting things but not _that_ form-fitting."

A chuckle escaped Steven and he smiled. "Is that right? You could have fooled me."

"Whatever."

"Come on. Let's get going." Steven said, moving passed the other and walking out the door. Wallace silently watched him go and then followed.

* * *

 ** _Author's Note: The term 'Et qui venturus est' translates to 'It is coming' in Latin._**

 ** _I will be working on Chapter Six soon. Hopefully it will be up within the span of this week or the next. Busy, busy, busy. Anyway, thank you for reading!_**


	7. Chapter Six: The Assignment

Footsteps echoed off the barren walls on an old, abandoned warehouse. Stacks of lumbar and empty drums cluttered the cement flooring on either side of the path. The lighting was dim, giving the building a haunted feeling. A man, dressed in a black uniform, maneuvered through the stacks and drums. Ahead, was a metal grated stairwell, leading to a catwalk that framed the upper portion of the room. The man made his way up the stairs quickly and followed the catwalk. It was eerily silent in the place, the only sound coming from his steps. He picked up his pace slightly until he stopped at a door at the end of the walk. The man knocked on the door and waited patiently. A muffled voice sounded from the other side, permitting entry.

He opened the door, and walked inside, shutting the door behind him. Inside, the room was mostly bare, save a desk, two chairs and a window. The shades were closed and the only light source came from a desk lamp. A man occupied one of the chairs, directly behind the piece of furniture. He was dressed in a white lab coat, blue shirt and black slacks. Glasses were perched on his nose; red hair tussled. "What is it you wanted?"

"Terry has been killed. His body was found by Officer Jenny. It was all over the news this morning. It seems as though he died as a result of falling off the summit of Mount Pyre. Or at least that is what the report reads. I thought you said everything would be fine. We do not need this sort of publicity!"

"A slight mishap."

"A mishap? I'm sure. And that's not the only thing. Before he was killed, he reported someone else on the summit. Someone who located the mural."

"Is that right?" The man answered with an amused expression on his face.

"You don't seem too surprised."

The man behind the desk smiled. "Yes, you are correct. I do know of this slight.. Issue." He pushed a file on his desk forward and sat back in his chair. The man watched as the other picked up the file before continuing. "A young Steven Stone. The son of the prestigious Joseph Stone, head of the Devon Corporation in Rustboro City. He is the Hoenn League Champion and mainly specialized in Steel Type Pokemon. But that is not the only thing. He also is quite knowledgeable when it comes to rocks and stones. This will prove quite useful to us. We still have yet to find the location of the stone. Without it, more mishaps like Terry are bound to happen. It is uncontrollable."

The man quietly flipped through the file as he listened to the other speak. He looked up and spoke. "I see. So you intend to use this Steven to find the Blood Stone."

"Precisely. He was able to find the mural rather quickly. Besides, the thing has taken a liking to him." The red head grinned as he spread his hands. "You see? Since it has not killed him by now, this will work well. We shall use him to find the stone and he will deliver it to us."

"A champion helping Team Rocket?" His eyes narrowed a bit skeptically at the red head's words. "I highly doubt a goody two-shoes like this man would help us. Rodger, I think you need to-"

Rodger held a hand up and interrupted him. "Oh but you see he will. When he finds out his precious father has been taken by Team Rocket. I'm sure he will be willing to comply."

"You can't be serious. You're talking about kidnapping the Devon Corporation's president!? The building itself is under constant guard. Not to mention he has a personal assistant that practically never leaves his side. What you're saying is way too risky."

"Oh but on the contrary, my dear Bryan. Joseph Stone is known for ditching his assistant on a daily bases. This will make capturing him simple. Besides, if the assistant does get in the way, I'm sure you can take care of him easily." Rodger leaned forward, folding his hands on the smooth, oak surface of his desk. "I'm sure you can handle a simple assistant if necessary."

Bryan fidgeted with the folder in his hand nervously. A lot was riding on this assignment. One wrong move and he could be sent to prison. He highly doubt that the boss would bail him out as well. The man in black looked around briefly before locking eyes with Rodger. "I can, but that isn't the point. If I'm caught-"

"It's quite simple. Don't get caught. Besides, it's not like you've been told to kill anyone. Gracious no. You are simply to follow orders. As you are well aware, Giovanni is a very impatient man at times. I need not remind you of that though, right?"

Bryan gave Rodger a look, before dropping the file onto the man's desk. "No, you don't. I will be heading for Rustboro City as soon as I can get some men together. I will notify you as soon as Joseph Stone is in my custody." Rodger waved a hand and Bryan exited the dimly lit room fairly quick. He closed the door behind him and shook his head. 'What is that idiot scientist thinking? Capture the president of the Devon Corporation.' A sigh escaped his lips as he followed the catwalk back to the stairwell. Bryan made his way down the steps and through the warehouse.

He reached the door and opened it, a blast of fresh air greeting him. Bryan took a deep breath before letting it out and stepped through the threshold. He shut the door firmly and head toward an idling, pale blue unmarked van. The man walked to the passenger side and opened the door, getting in. "So, how did things go?" The driver asked, wearing the exact same attire as Bryan.

"The stupid scientist wants us to kidnap Joseph Stone."

"The President of Devon Corporation? What for?"

Bryan looked over at him and folded his arms across his chest. "You've heard of Steven, his son right?" The other nodded for him to continue. "Well, good ol' Rodger seems to want his assistance in finding the stone. With his father in our custody, he thinks he will cooperate with us."

"And how does he suppose we get him alone?"

"Not sure of that myself. But we need to find a way. Or it's our butts. Drive."

* * *

Wallace walked with Steven down one of the many small streets in Sootopolis. The sun was shining brightly, and an ocean breeze drifted through the city. The temperature was a pleasant seventy degrees, with only a few clouds in the sky. He was glad to be home, but wished it was under different circumstances. "Good thing your dad's Pidgeot gave us a ride here. Otherwise, it would have taken some time to get here." He looked down at his shorter friend with a grin.

"Mmhm." Steven answered, looking ahead as he fell into deep thought. So much had happen over the past two days, and it was a lot to try and comprehend. And just what was that spectre he had seen before leaving his room? The thing's words still swam around his mind. It had said something about a warning.. And the words 'Et qui venturus est.' But what could that mean? Steven took another step, when he felt someone catch his arm. He stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder at Wallace. The Gym Leader was looking at him oddly. "Wallace?"

"Okay Steven. I'm not going to pretend like there's nothing wrong anymore. What's going on with you?"

"There isn't anything wrong. I was thinking about finding the stone."

"Look. I've known you since we were kids. You're not… there's something up. You're my friend and I can't help you if you don't say what's on your mind. And I know it's not about that stone."

Steven let out a breath. This was no time for interrogations. They had a ton of research to do and a possible Mount Pyre to visit. But he also knew that Wallace would never let him off the hook so easily. "I didn't sleep well last night. I'm just a little tired."

Wallace regarded his friend with suspicion before he sighed. This was going to get no where, fast. "Steven, I'm worried about you. Your dad mentioned you passed out yesterday by the Corporation. If there's something up, I need to know."

"Wallace, I-" Steven paused in mid-sentence when something caught his eye behind the Gym Leader. It was a store front selling televisions, but what was playing on them attracted his attention. He moved past Wallace and moved over to the window front. It was the news channel, talking about a body that had been discovered at the base of Mount Pyre. Steven read the captions across the bottom as they came up, before looking at the photograph depicted. It was of a uniform matching the one the trainer was wearing on the summit. But… had the trainer fallen? His mind was a bit fuzzy.

Wallace joined Steven and looked from the television to his friend. "What is it?" He turned his attention back to the news. It spoke about a body found early this morning. A person had been suspected of falling to his death off of Mount Pyre. Could this have something to do with the mystery surrounding what had happened yesterday involving Steven? "Steven.. Do you know something about this?" He asked, facing his friend quizzically. The other seemed to be glued to the news programme, not paying much attention to anything around him. "Hey. Steven." Steven broke from his self-induced trance as he looked over at Wallace.

"Oh sorry. I was waiting to see if they would mention the mural being discovered. We should get going. We still have to stop at your house before we can go get photographs for research material." The silver haired man smiled up at Wallace, before he walked away from the store front.

The Gym Leader watched as Steven began to walk in the direction of Wallace's home, or rather, Gym. It sat not far from them, just over a small, wooden bridge. The green-haired man let out a pent up sigh as his thoughts turned toward his best friend. There was more to what he had seen then he was letting on. The way he stared at the television proved that. But it was not as if Steven was going to openly talk about it. The man was avoiding all questions as of late. Now he understood why Mr. Stone had been so concerned and upset. Wallace was growing more and more uneasy himself about his friend's state of being. The only thing he could think of doing, was taking Steven to see a doctor. A friend of his that lived nearby the Gym. Perhaps after some researching, he could try to convince him to go. Just to alleviate some of the worry off his and Mr. Stone's shoulders. He quickly caught up with Steven and spoke up. "Can we stop somewhere real quick? It won't take too long."

"Sure. Where are we going?"

"Just visiting a friend of mine. I want you to meet her." Wallace said simply, walking slightly ahead of him.

"Her? Hmmm… girlfriend?" Steven asked, looking at the green-haired man with a playful smirk.

"Eww no. No. She's like seventy. And wipe that smile off your face before I do it for you." Wallace was glad to see that Steven was still himself in some respects. Maybe they were just over-thinking everything. There may have been a plausible reason as to why he was late. "She's a retired doctor and-"

"Wallace. I told you and my father that I am fine. I don't need to see a doctor." Steven said tersely, glaring at his friend. "We have more important things to do right now."

"Now I see what your dad means by you being impatient." Wallace mused before he looked at his friend seriously. "Look, I know you are not happy with this. But can't you at least just see her. Just to be on the safe side?"

"'Safe side?' I'm fine. If anything, I'm tired because I didn't sleep well last night. Now can we please get your stuff so we can see if that mural was destroyed by the storm?"

Wallace stopped in his tracks and faced Steven. "Then tell me why you were late coming back from Mount Pyre. The real reason. Not this, 'I lost track of time looking for a stone' bull. You're not that stupid, Steven. Far from it."

Steven sighed and brought a hand to his head. If he did not tell him at least something, Wallace would keep pestering him. Plus, he owed him some sort of explanation as to what was going on. Well, some what of one. "I was late coming back because I was knocked out."

"Knocked out?"

"Yes. I can't remember by who or what. But, when I came to, the storm was almost directly overhead and it was starting to drizzle." Steven explained before he let his hand drop to his side.

Wallace regarded him with a serious expression. "Is that all you can remember? Nothing else?"

Steven thought for a moment before shaking his head. "No. That's it. I don't recall anything else. But I do know that we need to find that stone. Something is telling me that it's very important."

"Every stone is important to you. But okay. I just need to grab some things from my Gym. But Steven, if anything else bothers you, you will tell me right?"

"Yes."

"Promise?" Wallace asked and received a nod from the other. "Okay, let's get going shall we?" The Gym Leader gave a smile before he continued walking toward the Gym.

It had not taken Wallace long to gather the things he needed. He exited the Gym, along with Steven, carrying a small pack over his shoulder. "So. How do you plan on getting to Mount Pyre?" The Gym Leader asked, looking down at his silver-haired friend. "Unless you feel like swimming, you did not bring Skarmory with you. Not that he can carry two of us.."

"I have it figured out." Steven said, as he removed a Pokeball from his belt. "Metagross. Help us out." He tossed it up into the air and it popped open. Metagross appeared before them, landing with a thud onto its four limbs. The Pokemon was a light silver as opposed to its usual blue colouration. Its body was round, with a metallic yellow 'X' across its face. Its two eyes were a deep red colour, resting on each side of the cross. Its limbs attached to its body with ball-and-socket joints. Its legs were thinner at the top but were considerably thicker at the bottom. Each of its four legs bore three short claws on the end and a flat, blunt protrusion over its knees. The Pokemon spoke its name and waited for a command from its trainer.

"Metagross?" Wallace questioned, looking at the Iron Leg Pokemon with an arched eyebrow.

"Yes. It can use magnetism which enables it to float in the air. Metagross can get us across the water and to the base of Mount Pyre in no time."

"Huh. That works. Shall we get going and see this mural of yours?" Wallace said as he walked over to the Pokemon. "Long time no see buddy. Thanks for the lift."

The Gym Leader climbed up onto the Pokemon, Steven following behind him. Once the two were settled, Steven pat its head. "Okay Metagross. We are heading for Mount Pyre."

"Meta!" The Pokemon began to float and tucked in its legs. It then took off toward their destination.

 ** _This chapter is really short and terrible. Honestly, I don't know why I even posted it XD. Sorry about that and the delay. Life got in the way aka a serious case of writer's block. Any who, chapter seven is in production and hopefully will not be as long a wait as this one was. And it will be much better. ;0; Hope you all enjoy. Please don't attack me with terrible reviews... even though this chapter deserves them XP_**


	8. Chapter Seven: A Glimpse Of Things To Be

The wind blew softly, carrying the familiar scent of damp soil and grass. The storm had managed to rip up some loose shrubs but did not disturb the multitude of tombstones atop Mount Pyre. Steven led the way across the summit toward the shrine holding the two orbs. Amazingly, the red and blue balls had not rolled away despite the strong gales from the storm. The silver-haired man glanced around as he walked, feeling a bit on edge since they had arrived on the island housing the mountain. Flashing of memory came and went, but nothing was discernable. The only thing prominent, was the feeling that something was not right here. That something was either watching them or lying in wait. Ready to strike. Steven felt a chill run down his spine and he promptly pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind. There was no time to give in to childish ways. It could be his mind playing tricks on him. But that nightmare… "So, where did you find this mural exactly?"

Steven was snapped from his thoughts as Wallace broke the silence. He looked over at the Gym Leader briefly, before turning his attention back to the way they were walking. "I found the mural just up here." He led the way up the small set of stairs and toward the back wall beyond the alter holding the orbs. Wallace followed close behind and stopped beside Steven, looking at the mural. The wall had sustained some damage from the rain, causing the mud that was caked on to run. However, most of the pictographs were still visible.

"It's a bit more interesting in person, I must say." He commented as he moved closer to the wall. The Gym Leader squat down, removing a handkerchief from his back pocket. He used it to clear a little bit of the mud gently from one of the drawings. He set the cloth aside and studied the art, before finally pointing at one of them. It was a long, rectangular shape with small symbols etched down it. "This one looks familiar. I've seen it in one of the books on the Cave of Origin. Though, it probably is just a common thing to etch back in the day." He trailed off as he sat back on his haunches. "They do resemble the cave paintings in the book.. But something is different about them. The style.. It's only slight but different."

Steven squat down beside Wallace, slipping his bag off his shoulder. He opened it up and scrounged around until he found his camera. He focused it, before taking closer pictures of the drawings in order to capture every detail. It would be vital in translating what it read. If they could. After taking several photos, he set the camera down, looking at the wall. He brought a hand to his chin in thought. Something about this was bothering him. He narrowed his eyes. "Wait a second." Steven muttered more to himself than anyone else. He reached out and traced the rock wall with his fingertips. He glanced around where they were, before looking back at the wall. "Why didn't I notice this before?"

"Notice what?"

"Take a look at the rock these murals are etched on."

Wallace glanced at Steven, before staring at the wall. He pursed his lips after a moment. "Nothing is jumping out at me, if that's what you mean. It looks like an ordinary rock wall to me."

The silver-haired man shook his head before nearly jumping to his feet. His face lit up with excitement. "No. Take a look at this wall and the surrounding walls. It's an older sedimentary level than the ones used for the Hoenn Legend murals. I can't believe I did not notice this until now. But I was in a rush because of that storm…" He trailed off, examining the wall itself.

An amused look crossed Wallace's face before he spoke up. "Uh, Steven? You've lost me on your little nerd rant. Mind repeating that?"

Steven shot him a look before he sighed. "It means that these drawings may have been made before the Legend. Maybe even a century prior. That would mean-" He paused, turning to look at the shrine walls. "These walls for the shrine were built and not naturally occurring. This is the natural wall." Steven looked back at the mural and crossed his arms. "So that would mean that this mural predates the Hoenn Legend. Though this Pokemon.."

Wallace stayed silent while he watched his friend touch the etching of the odd-looking 'Pokemon'. "If you can call it a Pokemon. It looks… how should I put it. Mutated?"

"Well, you may not be too far off. Its body type looks a lot like Mewtwo. See here and here?" Steven pointed from the pictograph's head to its body. "Even the tail.. But something about this makes no sense."

"And what is that?"

"Mewtwo is technically a 'Kanto Classified Pokemon'. It has never been seen in this region ever. But that's not the only thing. The Pokemon in question was created by DNA extracted from a Mew fossil. That's the problem. If this mural was drawn before the Hoenn Legend… Mewtwo did not even exist then."

"Maybe the drawing was made recently to make it appear to be older?" Wallace suggested, looking from the wall to Steven.

Steven made a face at this. "Could be.. But highly improbable. But is that is the case… why? And how old would this drawing truly be then?" Steven fell silent, rubbing his temples. "But it has to be sometime after Mewtwo was created for that to be the case." He let his hand fall as he took a step back and looked around. "There may be more clues lying around here. I was not able to search too well because of the storm. With the two of us, it might make things easier."

Wallace gave a nod before looking back at the mural. "I'll join you in a moment. I'm going to work on getting the rest of this mud off. I'll take pictures and then meet up with you."

"All right." Steven said as he moved away from the shrine and down the steps. His mind wandered in several directions. There were so many questions and not nearly enough answers. A sigh escaped his lips as he retraced his steps from the day before. As he walked, he looked at the many tombstones that were neatly positioned on the sides of the path. Tombstones. ' _Wait a minute. That tombstone…_ ' The silver-haired man picked up his pace as he started around the right side of the shrine. ' _Why did I forget about it? It was near the edge of the summit. By itself if I remember correctly._ ' He recalled as he stopped in his tracks and looked around at the tombstones. The markers all seemed to be normal and none of them resembled the one he had seen. ' _How can that be? Did the storm destroy it?_ ' Steven turned his attention to the foliage. Everything beside the marker had been dead. ' _All I have to do is look for- That's it!_ ' Steven spotted the area and walked over to it. The area that had held the tombstone had been uprooted. So if that had happened, then.. Steven squat down on the edge and looked over the side. There it was.

Wallace rose to his feet, satisfied with his findings. He had unearthed more to the mural, discovering not pictographs, but writing. He could not identify it, but instead took photos for later research. The library in Sootopolis would have to be their next stop. He turned away from the wall and walked down the stone steps. "So, where should we get started. Steven?" He looked around, but could not spot his friend anywhere. So much for keeping an eye on him as per Mr. Stone's request. "Steven! Where did you go?" Wallace called out, cupping his mouth with one hand.

"Over here!"

It was a faint reply, but it sounded as if it came from the right. Wallace made his way halfway around the shrine, and spotted Steven waving him down amongst the tombstones. He stepped lightly around them, careful not to disturb the plots. "What are you doing over here?" He asked as soon as he was within earshot. "And aren't you afraid of falling being so close to the edge?"

Steven shook his head, pointing at the rock below his feet. "It's quite old but very sturdy. Besides, I plan on heading down anyway."

"What for?"

"That." Steven pointed over the edge at a tombstone that lay completely on its face, mud caking the bottom half. "It was up here last time I was here. The storm must have blown it over the edge. It was originally up here."

"Why are you looking for a tombstone though?"

"It had a strange epitaph on it." Steven rose to his feet and folded his arms. 'And then that trainer appeared..' He thought to himself, before looking at Wallace. "May I have my bag?" Wallace handed it over and Steven set it down. He removed some rope, an anchor, some carabiners and a hammer. He squat back down and positioned the anchor just beyond the rock ledge and hammered it in securely. Once that was done, he tied the rope around it, tugging hard on it to be sure it was safe. "That should do it. You coming?" He asked as he zipped his bag up, and swung it over his shoulder.

"Though climbing rocks isn't my thing, sure." Wallace said as he walked to the edge and looked down. It was not too far down, but still far enough to cause serious injury or death if one fell. So comforting.

Steven grinned and pat Wallace's back gently, making the taller man jump back slightly. "Scared?"

"That was not funny, Steven." The Gym Leader hissed before folding his arms across his chest. "I could have fallen you know."

"Like I would let my best friend fall to his death. Pfff what do you take me for." Steven said, his voice a mockery of hurt. He wrapped the rope around his waist and secured it with a carabiner. He then dropped the rest of the slack over the edge. "I'll go first and test the rope. If you don't want to come down, just wait up here. And if you do, here. Just do what I did." He tossed an extra carabiner to Wallace. Steven turned and moved to the edge. Giving the rope one last tug for good measure, he slowly made his way down to the next level. Reaching the bottom, Steven detached himself from the rope and looked back up. Wallace was following after him. He figured he would. The silver-haired man waited until Wallace was safely down, before he turned toward the tombstone. The two walked over to the tombstone and stopped beside it. It was lying with the epitaph face down. "Help me turn it over?"

Wallace helped Steven lift the slab of stone and turn it over gently. The writing was still there, though a bit distorted from the fall. Steven squat down and brushed some of the dirt away from the writing. "That language.. It's the same as the one I found on the wall."

"You found writing?" Wallace nodded and Steven sat back on his legs. He frowned and brought a hand to his chin in thought. Then that meant the tombstone was as old as the writing on the wall. But why would they match to that degree? And what could have been buried there? Steven reached out and touched the tombstone again, only this time he was greeted by a flash of memory. It was as if everything that had transpired came to him in a sudden, rapid movie. Steven removed his hand quickly, as if burned and brought it to his forehead; closing his eyes tightly. Memories of the trainer, the voice and that thing surfaced.

"Steven? You okay?"

"Yeah.. I'm fine. I just.. Remembered something." He said, as he slipped the bag from his shoulder. He removed his camera and stood up, taking a step back. Steven snapped a few photos, making sure to get the writing clearly.

Wallace stayed silent for a moment, watching him take photographs. After a moment, he spoke. "What did you remember? Something about what happened when you were last here?" Steven lowered the camera and nodded. "Mind filling me in on what your remember? You gave your word to tell me if something was bothering you."

A sigh left Steven. "I did tell you that, yes. I remember finding this tombstone and after that, this trainer in a black uniform. Like the one on the television before. He was running toward me, when he stopped. Then, I felt like there was something behind me. I turned and.. I think I saw this shadow. I can't quite recall the details much after that.."

The Gym Leader folded his arms as he listened to the story. "Do you think this shadow was maybe a Ghost Type?"

"Yes. It was my first thought. But something about it was different. Like it-" Steven stopped in mid-sentence as a sharp pain went through his mind. He let out a soft grunt and dropped his camera, holding his head. The intensity… he had felt this before. At the Devon Corportation?

"Hey. Are you okay?"

Steven waited a moment for the pain to dull before he answered. "Y-yeah. I'm fine."

"That didn't sound too convincing. What's wrong?" Wallace placed a hand on his shoulder gently. "Steven?" The young man did not answer, but instead his hands dropped. "Steven!" The Gym Leader caught his friend as he collapsed.

* * *

Steven opened his eyes, surrounded by pitch blackness. ' _What? Where am I? Wasn't I just at Mount Pyre?_ ' He thought to himself as he took a cautious step forward. There was nothing but an empty void around him. Was this another dream? Somehow it felt very different from the ones he had been having. Usually they felt old.. But this one. This time he wanted to wake up. Something was in the darkness with him. He could feel it.

 _Drip_.

A soft sound, like a droplet of water, resonated through out the space. ' _What?_ ' Steven slowly turned in a complete circle, trying to pinpoint the direction of the sound. ' _My imagination?_ '

' _Heh.. Heh…_ '

The young man stiffened as, what started as a chuckle, erupted into a fit of disembodied laughter. The sound echoed around him, becoming both chilling and disturbing. "Who's there?" Steven called out, looking about the darkness. No answer. He could feel his pulse quicken, as anxiety began to nestle in his gut. Whatever had laughed was toying with him. "Hello?"

 _Drip_.

Steven spun around, spotting a familiar image ahead. "Wallace?" His friend was standing with his back to him, in what looked like a spotlight. "You're here too?" When he received no answer, Steven started forward. "Wallace, hey are you okay?" He stopped a few feet from the Gym Leader. With the briefest hesitation, Steven reached out a hand toward his friend's shoulder.

 _Drip_. _Drip_.

He froze as the sickening scent of iron filled his nostrils. "Wallace?" He swallowed and finally gripped the taller man's shoulder. A sticky, warmth greeted him, causing him to pull his hand back instantly. Steven looked down at his palm, his eyes widening. Blood? He stared at the crimson substance for a moment before looking back at his friend. Only this time, Wallace was in a bloodied heap on the ground. Steven's breath caught in his throat, his heart sinking to the pit of his stomach. "W-"

' _Lovely isn't it? You did this._ '

Sinister words snaked into his mind, causing his blood to run cold. "I-I didn't-"

' _His blood is on your hands._ '

Steven shook his head as he took a hesitant step back. No… his friend was not dead. This was just a dream. It was all his imagination playing tricks on him. ' _Come on, Steven. Pull yourself together._ ' He took in a breath and let it out slowly. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. Once he felt his body relax, he opened his eyes. And boy did he wish he had not. Steven found himself staring face to face with his best friend. A startled sound left the silver-haired man as he stumbled back and landed on his rear. Wallace was coated in blood, his eyes glazed over with a milky, white colour. It did not take a professional to deduce that the Wallace before him was dead.

' _You were my best friend. Why did you kill me?_ '

"I didn't kill you.. This is.. This is not real."

' _I trusted you. And you killed me._ '

"I would never hurt you. Wallace you're-"

' _Murderer._ ' Wallace hissed before his body fell backward with a gruesome thud.

Steven closed his eyes tightly, gritting his teeth. ' _This is not real. This is a dream._ ' He repeated in his head over and over again. ' _Just wake up._ '

' _Heh.. Heh.. You killed your best friend. How does it feel?_ '

"This is all a dream. I would never hurt or kill my best friend."

' _Oh but you will. You will kill him in cold blood. This is the future of things to come. And it's all thanks to you._ ' The disembodied voice chuckled darkly. ' _First Wallace, then your father. Than everyone in this world. Everyone will die. Thanks to you~._ '

Steven placed his hands to his ears and squeezed his eyes shut. "No. You're wrong. This is just a dream! I would never hurt anyone!"

' _You will. You shall see. You will enjoy it.. As the other has_.'

"Shut up!"

* * *

 _Slap_!

Steven opened his eyes at the stinging feeling in his cheek. His breaths came in heavy pants, his body drenched in sweat. "Relax. Deep, slow breaths." The younger man looked up, confused blue meeting gentle green. Wallace was hovering over him, giving him a smile. Steven's eyes widened as he tried to get away; a terrified look on his face. "Woah woah! Hey!" Wallace grabbed a hold of him, keeping him still. The Gym Leader frowned at his sudden reaction. It was like he was not in his right mind or he hardly recognized him. "Steven."

"Let go!"

"Steven!" Steven froze at the shout, a vacant look on his face. Thankfully, he had calmed down a bit. But it appeared that Steven was not even focusing on his friend. More so, staring past him. Wallace let him go and placed a hand to his cheek. "Steven, look at me." Their eyes finally met, a bit of recognition filtering through. "That's it. Now take deep breaths. You're all right."

"Wallace?" Steven questioned, his wits finally coming back to him.

"Yes. Who else would it be?" Wallace gave him a smile and notice his body relax. He watched him close his eyes again, prompting the Gym Leader to tap his face lightly. "Hey. You're not passing out on me again, are you? Steven?" He tapped his face again, but got no response. Wallace felt for a pulse and was relieved to find a strong one. "What is going on with you?" He muttered, sitting back on his haunches. He could not very well wait for him to wake up and the ground would do him no good. Wallace felt around his waist and located Metagross' Pokeball. "Metagross, come out."

The Pokemon appeared beside the two trainers. "Meta?"

Wallace lifted Steven up and placed him on the Pokemon, before climbing on. "Take us back to Sootopolis. My Gym please." Metagross complied and began to hover, before taking off. Wallace held onto his friend. "You are going to have a lot of explaining to do when you wake up." He mumbled, looking ahead at the horizon.

* * *

 _ **Well that was much faster than I anticipated. I wrote this chapter while listening to two hours worth of James Horner. (My favourite composer and I still can't believe he's gone two years now ;0;)**_

 ** _Hopefully this chapter shall make up for the utter disgrace that six was XD. I hope you all enjoy the story thus far. Tune in next time, for more! What shall await? What are Team Rocket's new plans? What did the disembodied voice mean? All will be revealed.. um later on in the story. As always, thanks for reading! -grossly sobs over James Horner-_**


	9. Chapter Eight: A Discovery?

The pedestal stood in the centre of the room, an irregular stone sitting atop it. He had seen it before. Steven breathed out a sigh and looked around the room. The cavern it had been in previously, was replaced with what appeared to be a bedroom. The room itself was large, and incredibly spacious. A king-sized bed was positioned in the centre of the room; the head resting against one of the cream coloured walls. Large pillars were attached to the bed's frame, rising clear above the mattress. They connected at the top together and a red canopy rested over it. Several paintings hung on the walls, beside the bed and Steven moved toward them. The largest of the set, was of an elderly man, with a long, grey beard. He was dressed like royalty, a Ninetails at his side. Steven walked past it and to the next set of paintings. They were mostly scenery, but he could not pinpoint where they depicted. He moved away from the walls and surveyed the rest of the room. Other furnishings took up the rest of the walls. A fireplace, with expensive-looking vases and items on the mantle. A chair, rustic in look, beside an even older table. Beyond this, was a balcony- the doors shut and curtains drawn. Where in the world was he?

Steven moved back to the pedestal where the stone rested. Why was it no longer in the cave? He stopped before the stone, but made no move to touch it. Instead, he studied the writing etched into the side. It resembled that of the epitaph on the tombstone. ' _It's the same._ ' He thought to himself as he squat down to look at the pedestal as well. ' _Again._ ' He rose to his full height and brought a hand to his chin in thought. So then-

 _Rumble_! The ground trembled fiercely and Steven flailed his arms to keep his balance. What was going on? " _It's under attack! We must defend this castle!_ "

"Castle? What?" Steven said, looking around for the source of the voice. The room suddenly became distorted, twisting in different directions. "Wh- Wait." The scene around him crumbled into pitch blackness. The young man slowly turned in a full circle. Nothing but an empty void again.

 _Drip_.

' _Steven._ ' 

A soft groan escaped his lips, as Steven began to stir. He could feel something heavy on his forehead and rose a hand up. Cool and damp.. A towel? He went to pull it away, when a hand caught his wrist. Steven opened his eyes, his vision blurring in and out of focus. A shape came into view, a familiar one. The man closed his eyes briefly, before opening them again. "Wallace?" He questioned as the man before him came into focus. He was dressed in his usual Gym Leader attire which consisted of a long-sleeved, white shirt with green covering most of the front, waist and arms. His pants were purple and he wore the same white hat.

"Well well. Enjoy your nap, Steven?" Wallace commented, letting go of the other's wrist. "You've been out for like an hour and a half. Thought you were going to call it a day."

"Where?" Steven began to sit up, when the Gym Leader pushed him back. "Where are we?"

"We are at my Gym. You passed out at Mount Pyre and really had me a bit freaked out. You were spewing nonsense words and thrashing about. I thought you were having a seizure at first. Once you calmed down, you lost consciousness again. I got you here with Metagross' help. Turns out, you were running a mild fever. Do you remember anything at all? And if you weren't feeling well, why didn't you say something?"

Steven listened to his friend speak, before he let out a soft breath. "First off, I was feeling fine. I'm actually not sick at all. Second, I don't remember any of that. The last thing I recall, is talking about a shadow? I can't remember anything else."

"Mmmhm." Wallace nodded at his words and picked up a thermometer. He stuck it in Steven's mouth. "Keep this in your mouth a while. Okay?" His friend opened his mouth to protest and the Gym Leader tapped his jaw shut. "And no protests." He rubbed his eyes and sighed to himself. "Honestly, Steven. I would really like to know what is going on with you. Your dad is pretty worried and I am too." He caught the look Steven gave him, and waved a hand. "Don't worry. I didn't call him, though I probably should have." Once the thermometer beeped, he removed it and read the window display. "And just like that, your fever is pretty much gone."

"Because I'm fine." Steven said as he removed the cloth from his forehead. "I just did not get much sleep last night. I was probably more tired than I thought."

Wallace looked at him deadpan. "Are you really saying the same thing you had said to your father, to me? Really. Do I look gullible to you?"

"Worth a shot." Steven shrugged before letting out a sigh. "I wasn't lying when I said I did not sleep well. I had a nightmare."

"Care to give details?"

"I'd rather not."

"Suit yourself." Wallace shrugged before starting toward the kitchen. "Don't go wandering off. Just because you're fine, as you put it, doesn't mean you can't relax a little bit. I'm making some tea so stay put will you?"

Steven sat up as he watched his friend disappear into the kitchen. He closed his eyes and sighed to himself quietly. Everything in his head was a giant, muddled mess. He was unsure of what was up or down. Was he slowly losing his mind? He could not be. This had to have something to do with Mount Pyre. With that thing.. That shadow that had appeared. As soon as they figured this out, Steven was sure everything would go back to normal. The way things should be. He ran a hand through his hair and opened his eyes, looking around. He recognized that he was in Wallace's room. The Gym Leader did not have many guests over. Which meant there was no need for guest rooms. It was normally Wallace who was crashing at his place in Mossdeep City.

The room was practically bare, save for the few pieces of furniture in the room. A bed, which Steven was currently occupying, and a nightstand beside it. A dresser was positioned across the room, with contest trophies on top of it. The silver-haired man smiled at this. That was right. Wallace was quite the Pokemon Coordinator. He and his partner, Milotic. The man did not do it very often anymore, since he became Sootopolis' Gym Leader. He left the contests to his niece, Lisia, but still participated once in a while. Steven enjoyed watching his friend compete, for he was a very talented trainer.

He set the damp towel on the nightstand and pushed himself off the bed. There really was no time to be lazing around. Not when they had so much work to do. But convincing Wallace would be another story. The man had seemed a bit adamant about him resting. The silver-haired man sat back down on the edge and heard a small pop. He looked to the side and spotted Aron beside him. "Letting yourself out again, huh?" Steven commented as he stroked her head gently.

"Ron." The Pokemon smiled and snuggled up against Steven's thigh. The man watched his Pokemon for a moment, before memories of the dream surfaced. The nightmare that shook him to the core on Mount Pyre. What had that voice meant by ' _future of things to come_ '? If so, was Wallace in danger if they continued trying to locate the stone? Even decipher what was on the wall even? The last thing he wanted was for his best friend to be hurt or worse.. Killed. Unless, there was a way to keep him safe. According to the dream, he was the one responsible for Wallace's death. If so, then what if-

"Good, you didn't leave out the window."

Wallace's voice snapped him from his thoughts and he looked up from Aron toward the doorway. The Gym Leader stood there, holding two cups of tea- one in each hand. "That would accomplish nothing." Steven said simply as he accepted the tea handed to him. "Thanks."

"Mmhm." Wallace hummed as he sat down beside his friend. "So. I'm thinking maybe you can take a day off from everything."

"I really can't Wallace. What if those people find the stone before us. And it is some sort of powerful object? Things could go devastatingly array."

Wallace stayed silent a moment as he sipped his tea. "I knew that was going to be your answer. Why did I even bother asking?" He said before looking at Steven. "You are my best friend. And I don't like to see you like this. It's actually starting to scare me. I understand what is at stake here, believe me. And if you want to keep going, I will follow you. But can you do me a favour? Talk to me more. Stop keeping things to yourself. Because you wouldn't like it very much if I did that to you. I'm not saying to talk about everything right this second. But when you want to talk, just do so."

Steven listened to his friend and stared at the contents of the cup. He really had been putting a lot of pressure on Wallace. The man deserved to have some sort of explanation. But what could he offer him right now? He did not want to even think about that dream he had had. And the others were to fuzzy to remember. "I'm having a hard time remembering certain things. That's why I can't talk about what is going on. A lot of it, it's fuzzy." Steven began, before setting his tea aside. "I want to fill you in, Wallace. But I can't even fill myself in. I'm so confused by everything going on. And no, I don't think a doctor can help me with this. I think the only thing that will help, is solving this mural and finding that stone."

The Gym Leader frowned at his words. "Do you think it has something to do with that shadow? I mean you started talking about it and then passed out before." ' _What if it had attacked him? This could be the work of whatever that shadow thing was. It could explain a lot._ '

"I don't know. Maybe.. But regardless. I think we need to head to the library and start researching." Steven said as he got up and looked about the room. He spot his bag on a chair in the corner and walked over to it. He ruffled through it and made sure that his camera was still intact. Once that was done, he replaced it and took out a spare set of clothes. "I'm going to just change real fast. Then we can download these pictures at the library and print them this time."

Wallace nodded. "Right. We don't need you burning down the entire library like you did with your laptop and phone." Steven shot him a look and the Gym Leader laughed. "I'm just joking. I'll leave you to it. In the meantime, I'll feed the Pokemon."

"Thanks Wallace." Steven said as he walked over and handed his Pokeballs over. "You go with him, Aron. I'll be right out."

"Ron." The Pokemon seemed reluctant to leave her trainer. Even if she did like Wallace very much. She knew something was wrong and hesitated.

"Go ahead." Steven said, waving the little Pokemon to go.

She looked at him quietly, before hopping off the bed. She stared at Steven for a moment before she waddled off out the door.

Wallace watched this and fell into thought. ' _So Aron knows something too. If only she knew how to talk._ ' He waited until the Pokemon left the room, before he closed the door. 

As soon as the Pokemon were fed, Wallace returned them all to their respective Pokeballs. Everyone except Aron. Instead, he kept the little Pokemon out and sat on the kitchen floor with her. He gave her a pat on the head as she cocked her head. The Steel Type knew something, for Steven's Pokemon never hesitated to follow a command given to them. They were quite well trained, even Aron, who was the youngest and most recent addition. If she was doing this, then it meant that she was concerned for her trainer. Wallace placed his chin on his hand and thought a moment. "Hey Aron. Are you worried about Steven?" The little Pokemon gave a slight nod at the question, concern in her wide, blue eyes. "Did something happen on Mount Pyre when you were there with him?"

"Ron. Aron." The Pokemon gave another nod and walked in a small circle. "Ron." She was unsure what had happened, but she knew something did. She had found Steven unconscious after all. "Aron." She flopped on her side and pretended to faint.

"So he passed out? Did he look hurt?"

The Pokemon got up and nodded. "Ron.."

Wallace pat her on the head. "Thanks Aron." He continued to pet the Pokemon as he fell into thought. ' _So.. Aron found him passed out and quite possibly hurt. Something must have attacked him. I'm betting that shadow. If so, then this is probably the cause of his behavior. But will it get worse over time or better?_ ' The Gym Leader frowned. That was a possibility was it not? That Steven would keep getting worse as opposed to better. However, he seemed like his usual self, minus the blackouts. ' _But, Mr. Stone did not mention anything about mumbling or thrashing.._ ' So was he actually getting worse? And how much more could the man take before it was too much strain on his body? Wallace pushed those dark thoughts to the back of his mind. He would have to keep a very close eye on him. He felt a nudge and looked down to see Aron looking up at him. Wallace gave a grin and picked her up. "Don't worry, Aron. Everything is going to be just fine. We will help Steven out and he will get all better. I promise."

"Ron!" The Pokemon said excitedly, smiling.

Wallace smiled and set her back down. "Okay back into the Pokeball now." He held it out and Aron returned to it. He got up from the floor and heard footsteps approaching. Steven entered the room, his bag slung limply over his shoulder. He had changed into attire that Wallace was customary to seeing. Steven was dressed in a black suit jacket with steel cuffs and black slacks. Under the jacket, he wore a purple, buttoned down vest and white collared shirt; around his neck a red ascot. The Gym Leader smiled and said, "All business now, huh?"

The silver-haired man cocked his head in a confused manner, before looking down at his clothes. "No.. I like this outfit." He closed his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. "Besides, it's the only outfit I have besides the other one with me."

The taller man shook his head and walked over to his friend. He placed both hands on his shoulders and looked at him. "We really need to fix you up, buddy. You are losing your sense of humour too."

Steven rolled his eyes. "Wallace. I appreciate your banter but we really need to get going." He moved away from his friend and walked out the door. Wallace watched him leave and sighed to himself. He followed after him.

* * *

A flower delivery van sat beside a curb near the Devon Corporation, a few blocks down. Two men sat in the front seat, wearing plain jumpsuits. On the right breast pocket, was the flower company's logo. "So, Bryan. What's are plan here? I mean this building is guarded all day and night. How are we supposed to go about kidnapping the President? It's impossible." The man behind the wheel complained, leaning forward. He folded his arms and rested them atop the steering wheel and sighed. "We are going to wind up in jail is what we're going to do."

Bryan looked over from a small book he had in his hands. "We aren't going to end up in jail, you idiot. We just have to be smart about this. Anyway, have you seen the President enter the building yet?"

"No. I doubt he's going to show up today. This is just a huge waste of our time."

"Elliot." Bryan put his book down and glared at the other. "It is not a waste of time. I don't really agree with this plan either. But think about it. If Rodger finds that stone, we will be unstoppable. Team Rocket will be the top dogs around here. Think of all that power. The money! Any Pokemon we want at our fingertips. And the girls-"

Elliot scoffed and looked at his partner. "Do you think that guy is really going to give up the Blood Stone to Giovanni once he has it? Bry think about this. It's more powerful than a Mega Stone.. According to Rodger. With that strength.. He could surpass Giovanni and become the boss himself."

The man beside him fell silent as he thought about this. Was what Elliot saying true? If so, the way Rodger was.. He could wind up being worse than the boss himself. The man had a point. If someone came into such power, then they would never give that up. It would consume their entire being. Especially the raw energy the Blood Stone was said to wield. A breath escaped him and he looked at his partner. "Just… shut up with your conspiracy theories. We are going to do as we are told. We are going to kidnap that old coot, and use him as bait. And we are going to do so, without complaint. Nothing will be worse than to disregard an order given by a higher up. Want to end up Giovanni's personal punch bag?"

The driver simply stared at the other silently. He shook his head and stared out the window once more. "You're right. I don't agree with this idea, but I'll give you that. Nothing beats getting in trouble with the boss. But I hope I'm not right about this. Rodger… he's a few cards short of a deck. If you know what I mean."

"You won't be. Now be quiet and keep watch for the President."

* * *

They had been at it for over an hour. Wallace let out a deep sigh, looking at the desk the two occupied in the Sootopolis library. The entirety of it was covered with printed photographs of the wall, maps, text books, a notebook and old newspapers. He sat back in his chair and rubbed his temples, before looking over at Steven. The young man was sitting in a chair, his jacket draped over the back end of the chair. He had a text book open, pen behind his ear and a serious look on his face. If he concentrated on the text any harder, he would burn a hole through the book. Wallace closed his eyes and tilted his head back, before staring at the ceiling. If he read one more word, his head would bust. They so far had found absolutely nothing. There was plenty of lore on the Hoenn Legends, but nothing mentioned the wall art at all. That only left them with one more option. The Cave of Origin. The only book with complete research on it, was resting under Steven's unwavering gaze.

Wallace looked back at his friend, before he turned his attention to the library. It was very spacious, with organized sections of books. A child's section toward the back of the library. Adult level books rested on the second floor. Research materials were housed on the main floor, along with a small video section of rentable movies. As for the occupants, it was sadly very vacant. Not many people came to libraries often anymore. Everything was easily obtainable online. It was a little disheartening to see. But he knew that Sootopolis' library would last forever. The old shelves the books rested on were here since the building was built. So much history in these walls. He smiled faintly, before hearing a sigh.

The man turned his attention to Steven. The man was now slumped a bit, his chin on his hand. He flipped to the next page, a somber look on his face. "Hey, Steven. You look like you could use some coffee."

"Mmhm." Steven hummed an answer, not looking up from the text he was reading.

"I'll be right back."

"Okay Wallace." The silver-haired man glanced over as his friend got up and walked toward the entrance of the library. Steven sighed to himself and looked back at the book. So far, they had found nothing. No answers, only increasing questions. It almost seemed hopeless. The man picked up the remainder of the book's pages and flipped through them. He watched the pages fall, before he shut the book completely. He pushed it away and rubbed his eyes. There had to be something they were missing. Steven picked up the photos he had taken and shuffled through them. He stopped when he reached the one he had taken of the tombstone. He looked at the epitaph, reading the description the best he could. It was indeed worn, but one word was still easy to read. ' _Libero_ '. But what did that mean? He had never heard of the word before and it seemed important enough to be etched in stone. Steven pulled the pen from his ear and wrote the word down in his notebook. He set the paper aside and looked at the collection of books on the table. None of them would be useful in deciphering the word. Perhaps the computer.

Steven gathered up the papers and put them in a pile, before he walked over to one of the computers nearby. He sat down and clicked on the search engine. He typed and hit the enter button. As it loaded, he felt a surge of pain. ' _This again…_ ' He thought to himself as he brought a hand to his forehead. He ignored it, and began to read the links that popped up. Clicking on one, he began to read. ' _To release.. deliver.. But why would that be written on a tombstone?_ ' Steven frowned as he stared at the computer screen.

Footsteps sounded behind him. "I see you moved from the books. What have you found?" Wallace asked as he set a cup of coffee down.

Steven gratefully accepted it and picked it up. He took a sip and pushed the chair back a bit. "On the tombstone, there was this word. It read ' _Libero_ '. Now I looked it up, and it apparently means ' _t_ _o release' or_ _'deliver_ ' in ancient Latin."

"Latin?"Wallace frowned as he straightened and folded his arms. "Why would that be written for an epitaph?"

Steven nodded, sipping his coffee. He lowered the cup and continued. "I was thinking the same thing myself. It does not make any sense by itself. But unfortunately, it's the only word I could get off of it. The storm really destroyed the tombstone. This is not much, but it's a start." He set the coffee down, and clicked back on the webpage, bringing it up to the links. He was about to close out, when something else caught his eye. He scrolled down and clicked another link. Steven began to read the text as soon as it popped up.

"What's up?" Wallace asked, as he looked over his shoulder. His friend appeared to be glued to the computer screen, not uttering a single word.

Steven turned toward Wallace and looked up at him. There was excitement in his face. "This… I think I've found something!"

* * *

 _ ****_ _ **Well this chapter took much longer than I had anticipated. Mainly do to work. Wahoo. (And seeing the Pokemon: I Choose You movie in theaters. Which was epic.)**_ _ **Anyway, thank you to all the readers who have stayed with this story thus far. I do hope you all continue to enjoy and read the further chapters. What has Steven discovered? And will Mr. Stone be kidnapped by Team Rocket? Tune in for Chapter Nine.. whenever I get the chance to type it up. Thanks for reading! :)**_


	10. Chapter Nine: A Devious Plan Unfolds

Mr. Stone sat in the kitchen, a cup of coffee in between his hands. He was dressed for work, but did not seem to have the drive to get up and go. Perhaps it would be for the best to not leave the house for today. He doubt he could concentrate on work with his son being out of sorts as of late. The worry was tearing into him, and he wished for answers to his questions. But there was none. He sighed and picked up his coffee, taking a sip. As he did, his phone began to ring. Mr. Stone set the cup down on the table and fished in his breast pocket for his phone. Locating it, he pulled it out and answered. "Hello? Oh hi, Kennedy. No, I'm not out on the streets showing children new products. I won't be coming in today." Mr. Stone pushed his mug about. "He did wake up, yes. But.. There's something wrong with him. I don't know. He's acting differently." He stopped pushing the mug about and sighed. "No, but I should have. Wallace stopped by and took Steven with him so hopefully he will. Thank you, Kennedy." Mr. Stone hung up the phone and set it down on the table.

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He wanted to call the two, or at least Wallace. The Gym Leader would at least give him a straight answer as to Steven's current condition. But the lack of receiving a phone call put him at slight ease. Since his son had someone with him, he was not as worried about the lack of contact. And if Wallace called him, it probably would pertain to Steven. Those types of calls were the last he needed to hear right now. Mr. Stone let his hand drop and opened his eyes. He picked up the mug and finished the contents. He pushed his chair back and got up, walking over to the sink. The man stopped and glanced at the remaining pitcher of coffee in the brewer. Another cup would certainly not hurt right now. As he moved toward it, he heard a knock on the door. "Who could that be?" He wondered aloud as he left the kitchen.

Mr. Stone crossed the living room and stopped at the front door. He looked through the small fish-eye lens in the door before opening it. A Wingull greeted him, flying inside and landing on his shoulder. The Pokemon was small and white; its head making up most of its body. It bore an orange-coloured beak, the tip black. The Seagull Pokemon's tail was shaped much like a fan with three blue-tipped feathers. The Pokemon's wings folded up into an 'M', a single light blue stripe on each one near the tip. The Wingull cooed as she snuggled up to Mr. Stone's cheek. "Y-"

"Peeko! You don't go entering people's homes like that, darling."

Mr. Stone turned his attention to the porch, seeing a very familiar man. "Hello, Mr. Briney. What brings you here?"

The man appeared a bit older than Mr. Stone. He wore a white, collared shirt with a maroon vest over it, and tan pants. He bore a white mustache with a beard and his skin was tanned from the many years out at sea. Mr. Briney smiled broadly at the other. "Just stoppin' by. Peeko and I needed to do a little shopping and we thought we would say hello. Is this a bad time?"

"Not at all! Come on in." Mr. Stone stepped aside so the other could enter before he shut the door. Peeko happily flew about the living room before she disappeared into the kitchen. "Make yourself at home. I still have some coffee left if you would like some."

The man waved his hand. "No thank you. I am over my caffeine days." He laughed to himself, before walking over to the sofa. Mr. Briney sat down, Mr. Stone taking a chair nearby. "I thought you would have been at work today. You always are quite the busy person."

Mr. Stone shook his head. "No.. I have a lot on my mind as of late. I did not want to cloud my work with it." He paused, before looking at his friend. "You see, Steven has not been feeling well lately and it has me worried."

"Not feelin' well, huh? Perhaps the lad should not follow in someone's footsteps, hmm?" Mr. Briney joked before looking at Mr. Stone. It was apparent that his worry was far greater than anticipated. "Is he ill with something?"

"No.. I don't know what's wrong with him. I found him passed out outside of my company's building yesterday. He said he was exhausted but he's not acting like himself. He's being too reserved and it looks like something is bothering him." Mr. Stone sighed to himself and brought a hand to his forehead. "This is all my fault."

Mr. Briney arched an eyebrow at this. "What do you mean this is your fault?"

"I asked Steven to check something out on Mount Pyre after he got back from his trip to Sinnoh. After he went there.. He hasn't been the same. I should not have asked him to go."

"Come now, Joseph. Steven is.. Steven. That boy has some spirit in him to do what he thinks is the right thing to do. The lad was probably eager to be out the door."

"Regardless, I should have taken into account that he was tired from his trip. His judgment could have been off while he was up there and he may have gotten hurt. Did you see the news this afternoon?"

"About that fellow they found in the sea?"

Mr. Stone nodded. "They estimated that he was on Mount Pyre before that storm hit. And that's around the same time that Steven was there."

"But didn't news say that the man could have been killed by the storm? Blown right off the mountain? It is not unheard of." Mr. Stone sighed at this. The man was right in a way. The two incidents could have been completely different. However, the body belonged to a man apart of the Team Rocket and something told him they were related. He needed to find out what exactly happened up on Mount Pyre before the storm hit. The man was broken from his thoughts as a hand was placed on his shoulder. "I know you're worried, Joseph."

Mr. Stone looked from Mr. Briney's hand to his friend. "I'm not just worried. If something happens to him.. I will never forgive myself."

"Don't think like that. I am sure that Steven would not want you too, either. Speaking of which, where exactly did your son get off to?"

"He left this morning with Wallace. He's so dead set on finding this odd stone. It was why he went to Mount Pyre in the first place. I asked him to find it. And I'm afraid for his health. I know Wallace will take care of him, but I just have a bad feeling. Like everything is going to fall apart."

"I doubt it will, Joseph. Don't think so negatively. I'm sure everything will be just fine. Just you watch. He's like you in a lot of ways." Mr. Briney gave the other a reassuring smile. "You'll see."

* * *

"I don't think this guy is ever going to show. We've wasted so much time already. And I'm getting hungry." Elliot complained as he slumped against the steering wheel, resting his cheek on the hard rubber arch. "Can't we just say he never showed?"

Bryan let out a pent up sigh and debated on answering the other. The man was bucking to get a reprimand from the boss. Or worse, Rodger. The guy was always doing some weird things in the dark sub-levels of Team Rocket's main base. It made him shiver to think what exactly went on down there. He had heard plenty of horror stories. More than he could count to be deemed sane. He felt a poke to his shoulder and he looked at his partner deadpan. "If you want to be on the short end of the stick with the boss, go ahead. But I'm not about to be Rodger's next experiment. Thanks for the offer though."

The driver pursed his lips before he turned his attention to the windshield. "You brown-nosers are all the same. You're like a sheep." Elliot muttered as he scanned the front of the building, watching people enter. After a moment, a particular person leaving caught his eye. "Hey. Bryan." He looked over to see his teammate reading the paper. "Bry! Look!"

Bryan heaved an annoyed sigh as he slammed his newspaper down on his lap. "What is it this time!? You see a Ratata!?"

"Look up at the landing. Isn't that the President's assistant coming out?"

This captured the man's attention. Bryan sat up straight in his chair and leaned forward, peering out the windshield. He followed Elliot's finger and spotted a man making his way down the steps. He held a small stack of papers in the crook of his arm. In the other, he was fishing for what could be assumed as car keys. Bryan turned his gaze from the man to the side compartment in the van's door. He pulled out a manila envelope and opened the top. He slid out the contents and shuffled through them. Bryan stopped at one particular photo and looked up again. "That's Kennedy, Joseph Stone's assistant. He is usually with the President. So… where is he?"

The driver gave a shrug as he watched Kennedy head toward a car parked nearby the building. "I dunno. Maybe I was right and the guy didn't show after all? We've been watching this place all day. We would have seen an old man sneak out by now. And that dope would have been on his phone or something if he did."

Bryan sat back and shoved all the papers back into the envelope. He slipped it back in the door's compartment and frowned in thought. It was broad daylight. There was no way they could easily break into the President's house at this rate. And he doubt Rodger would wait for the cover of darkness. He really did not care if he or Elliot wound up in jail. He doubt bail for them would be paid either. They were simply pawns to be used and disposed of when the time was right. But. The man watched as Kennedy got into a car and he brought a hand to his chin in thought. "I have an idea."

"What?"

"I'll tell you in a moment. Just follow that car and shut up."

* * *

Kennedy let out a sigh as he got into his car and shut the door. Things had become very hectic as of late. There were several things to get done at the corporation, yet the President had taken a personal day. Though, how could he really blame him? Not with what had happened last night. The assistant would have been shocked to see Mr. Stone come in to work. After all, Steven was the only family the man had left. Kennedy set the papers down on the passenger seat and put his seat belt on. He slipped the key into the ignition and started the car. As he waited to pull into traffic, his mind wandered to the conversation he had had with Mr. Stone. Despite his 'cheery' voice, he could tell the man was very worried. And that much worry at his age had its problems. It concerned the assistant.

He spot an opening and eased the car out of its parking spot. Kennedy then began to drive toward an unknown destination. Since Mr. Stone was absent, there was not much else for him to do. Instead, he could check up on the President. He was sure the man could use some company. Especially since Steven had gone off with Wallace somewhere. Another issue that Kennedy had trouble grasping his mind around. Why had he left? If there was any place Steven should have gone, it was a hospital. Not out to who knew where. Only adding more worry to Mr. Stone's already full plate of it. Kennedy let out a sigh and shook his head. Like father like son he supposed. The two were more alike then met the eye.

He came to a halt at a stop sign and made a left down the next street. As he did, he spotted a van in his rear-view mirror, following. Had it been there the whole time? And why was he getting a bad feeling about it? ' _Oh stop it, Kennedy. You're just making a big deal out of nothing._ ' Kennedy looked back toward the road, when he heard an engine rev. Before he had a chance to react, his car lurched forward from a sudden impact from behind. The assistant gripped the wheel tightly, as he grit his teeth, trying to prevent the car from fishtailing. "What in the-" _Bang_! Another hit sent the car skidding off the road. Kennedy tried his best to control it, but his car jumped the curb. The car careened right into an alleyway, and the assistant braced himself as trashcan slammed against the grill. They popped up the front end and smashed into the windshield, cracking it. Kennedy slammed on the brakes, the car screeching to a stop halfway down the alleyway.

A breath escaped him. One he had not realized he had been holding. His hands still grasped the wheel, his knuckles completely white. He panted, adrenaline from the crash flooding his veins, as he looked out the demolished glass. The hood was wrinkled up and pale smoke rose lazily from the engine. It was luckily not on fire, but he was sure the radiator was busted up. Kennedy finally let go of the wheel, feeling for his seatbelt. Locating it, he removed it and grabbed the door latch. He gave it a strong push and the driver's door opened. Kennedy stepped out, his legs shaking as glass crunched under his feet. ' _What in the world happened?_ ' He thought to himself as he turned in the direction he had come. Once he turned, a bright light suddenly flashed in his eyes. Kennedy winced and brought a hand up to shield himself from it. From what he could tell, the source of the light was a van's high beams. Was it the same van as before?

"Hey." He called out, keeping his eyes shadowed with his hand. "What do you think you were doing?!"

The sound of a door opening made his body stiffen. A shadow had moved out from where the passenger's door would be. He tried to follow it, but the light was too bright to dare move his hand away. "Kennedy?"

"Who's asking?" Footsteps approached and the assistant took a step back. He felt his back hit up against the door of his car. "What do you want?"

"That's all we need." _Whack_! A white hot pain blossomed through the back of Kennedy's skull. Darkness quickly consumed him as he felt his body fall forward onto the ground. Then there was nothing.

* * *

Mr. Stone locked the door of the house and slipped the keys into his pocket. He turned away and started down the steps toward his car. Mr. Briney had just left to do some shopping downtown, and he was thankful for the man stopping by. It eased his mind, but only slightly. Part of him wondered if it would have been better for the two to have left tomorrow. Surely the mural was not going anywhere. But he also knew the sense of urgency surrounding it. Mr. Stone reached the car, unlocked it and got in. He shut the door and started up the engine, letting it warm up a little. As he did, he felt his pockets for his phone, and retrieved it from his pocket. Maybe giving Wallace a call would not hurt. Just to ease his mind a little bit. Just as he was about to dial Wallace's number, his phone began to vibrate in his hand. Mr. Stone looked at the caller ID. "Kennedy?" He questioned as he looked at the phone a moment. Perhaps the assistant was reminding him of all the appointments he had neglected today. A sigh escaped his lips as he hit the green button and raised the phone to his ear. "What is it, Kennedy?"

"Kennedy is unable to make it to the phone at the moment." Came a voice from the other. Stone sat erect in his chair, gripping the phone tighter. "Who are you? And what have you done to Kennedy?"

"Now, now. No need to take that tone. He's alive if that's what you're concerned about. But he will wake up with one bad headache." There was a chuckle on the other line. "Unless you want me to kill him? I can always do that, you know."

"What do you want?"

"That's a bit more like it." There was a pause before the man continued. "Two miles just outside this dump of a city. There is the old abandoned warehouse that was once used as a delivery company. I'm sure you remember it at some point. It's a bit hidden in the woods, thanks to good ol' Mother Nature. I want you to drive there and go inside. There, you will surrender yourself to my buddies waiting for you. I'll give you a half an hour. If you're not there, alone, within that time frame, your assistant will be terminated permanently."

"I'll be there."

"Good man. We will await your arrival."

 _Click_. Mr. Stone looked at his phone, clenching the device in his hand. He was about to slip it into his pocket, when it buzzed again. He looked at the screen and spotted a little envelope signifying that he had received a text. Without hesitation, he opened it. Inside was a message and a photo. The photo, was of his assistant on the ground, seemingly unconscious. The words above it read, 'Just in case you doubted us. Remember. A half an hour.' The man grit his teeth, before he tossed the phone at the passenger seat. It bounced off and landed between the said seat and the door. He looked at the spot it fell a moment, before he put his seat belt on. There was no time to be wasting. Kennedy was in danger and he had to get to that warehouse before the time was up. If not… Mr. Stone backed out of the driveway, mindful of any other cars on the road. He then put it into gear and started off toward his destination.

Within twenty minutes, Mr. Stone parked his car before the warehouse entrance. He cut the engine and got out, shutting the door. The sun was still high in the sky, but it seemed more like twilight. The rays were blocked off majority by the overgrown tree tops. He let out a breath and started toward the entrance. Part of him knew he should have called Wallace or Steven. But if he did that, Kennedy's life could very well end. Right now, they needed to find the stone. He could handle this situation himself. After all, he dragged everyone into the situation unwittingly. Steven, Wallace and Kennedy. Their lives were in danger and it was all thanks to him.

He stopped at the door and reached out, grasping the handle. He pulled it open, the door groaning in protest to the action. Mr. Stone stepped inside and looked around. The room would have been rather spacious, if not for the collections of pallets and boxes. He walked further into the room, before he called out. "I'm here."

Several steps echoed off the walls in all directions. Mr. Stone glanced around, several uniformed trainers appearing from their 'hiding' spots. With them, fearsome Dark and Poison Type Pokemon. There was no way of escape, and he knew it. Mr. Stone looked ahead as the sound of slow clapping erupted. "Well, well, well. So you came anyway. I knew you would." The owner of the voice stepped forward, pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. "You're an intelligent man, Joseph. I admire that, because it reminds me of… well me."

"Kennedy?"

"As promised by my subordinate, he will remain unharmed. Well… more so, less harmed than he has been. Honestly, by now he should be at the hospital following such a nasty car accident and bump to the head. Poor soul." The man laughed at the glare he received. "But enough about him. Welcome, Joseph Stone, to my lovely adobe. We will try to make your stay, as comfortable as possible." A sneer crossed the redhead's face. "Men, take him to his room. I'm sure he will enjoy being our little guest."

* * *

 _ **And that concludes this chapter! Oh dear, what will happen now? Tune in next chapter to find out. 83 Sorry readers for the delay in this chapter. And sorry, not sorry, Kennedy for your abuse this chapter. As always, thank you for reading and I hope you continue to enjoy this fic. :)**_


	11. Chapter Ten: Kidnapped?

Rodger sat comfortably behind his desk, crossing one leg over the other. He adjusted the button on the cuff of his shirt with a small smile. It would not be long until everything fell into place. The man had feared failure, for Bryan was not the most competent of all the grunts. The deceased grunt had shown more promise. However, the young man had surprised him with having the President of Devon show up in his humble, little warehouse. His smile widened. Rodger supposed he would not turn him into one of his experiments after all. Perhaps he would even make a great Admin one day. That is, if he did not turn into Terry by the end of this mission. A shame really, but that was what grunts were. Expendable. A swift knock on the door broke him of his thoughts. "Do come in."

The door opened, Bryan walking in accompanied by Mr. Stone. Bryan shut the door behind them and motioned for the older man to take a seat before the desk. "I've brought him, sir."

"Ah, yes. Thank you." Rodger smiled, folding his hands on his desk. "I take it you liked our accommodations for you? We made sure your little holding room had all the essentials a man of your stature would need. I do hope that my subordinate treated you with the utmost courtesy. Oh, but do take a seat. Make yourself comfortable."

Mr. Stone stayed silent as he reluctantly sat down in one of two chairs facing the desk. He was not in the mood for small talk with the man whom was most likely responsible for the kidnapping. "What is it you want?"

"Straight to the point, I see. I do admire that a lot, Joseph. My men could learn a thing or two from you." Rodger cleared his throat casually before continuing. "Anyway, to cut to the chase. I have brought you here for a very important reason. It appears that your son is quite a smart man. Much like yourself."

Mr. Stone straightened in his chair. "Steven is of no interest to you."

"Oh but he is, dear Joseph." Rodger rose to his feet and folded his hands behind his back. "After all, he did manage to locate a mural that I had been searching for. For a week, I might add. Such tedious work, searching that entire mountain. That is, until Steven came along. He found it in no time at all. As I said, rather smart he is. However, this is not why I asked you here. My current objective is to find the Blood Stone."

"Blood Stone?"

"Yes. A special stone that was said to have mysteriously formed centuries ago. Though, no one in this current day and age knows the extent of its power. We first came across word of it, when we found an ancient text. It read of a stone called the Blood Stone, ' _And with it, we will become the most powerful region in the world. We will be unstoppable_ '." Rodger smiled, before facing the window. "With this stone in my hands, I can mold the world to how it should be."

"But how do you even know such power exists?"

"Shh shh, Joseph. Don't be such a spoil-sport." The red-headed man scolded, before continuing. "When we discovered the ancient text, some of our smartest men worked on finding the location of the stone. Upon researching, they discovered that such a stone did exist. And it truly had a remarkable power." Rodger turned and smiled at Mr. Stone. "And that's where your son can come in. He can help us find it. With his knowledge of regional geography and our texts, together we can find the Blood Stone."

"Steven will have no part in this."

"Is that so? Even if his life depended on it?" Rodger gave a chuckle. "Come now, Joseph. You must have caught him acting a little different. Maybe a few terrible headaches? Fainting spells perhaps?"

A look of pure anger crossed Mr. Stone's face as he shot up from his chair. "What have you done to my son?!" He demanded, Bryan firmly grabbing his arm.

Rodger clicked his tongue at the outburst. "Now now. I assure you that we have done nothing to him. He merely was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Earnestly." He waved a hand and Bryan pushed Mr. Stone back down in his seat.

"And I am supposed to believe you?"

"Of course! There is another thing we did discover in our studies. It seems that many people had sought the stone over the past centuries upon learning of it. They never found it. Instead, their bodies were often discovered mutilated, as if some inhuman beast, not even a Pokemon, ripped them to shreds. And this has everything to do with that kid of yours. You see, it is written in a journal of one of the men before they were killed." Rodger explained, before he lifted a page off his desk. He gave it a weak toss to the space before Mr. Stone. "The man went on to write about his experiences."

Mr. Stone looked at Rodger skeptically before he picked up the page and began to read. ' _March 20th. I am sure the thing had attacked me. It had left terrible, dark bruises on my chest. They are going away now. But that is not the worst of it. My head ails me. Sometimes to the point of unconsciousness. I know not what is going on with me. Am I close to the Blood Stone? Ugh this pain in my head will not cease. And the visions. Oh how terrible they are. I cannot sleep without seeing it. That thing. It is coming for me, I know it. But I have my Pokemon to rely on. Tyranitar and Typhlosion. They will protect me, I know it. I am close to finding it. I know it to be so. It is as if this thing is preventing me from finding it. To stop me from gaining that power. I need it to become stronger. Then maybe.._ ' Mr. Stone flipped the page over, but found it blank.

"See? We did nothing. But we suspect that the two, Terry and Steven, were ambushed by this.. Whatever it is. Terry being the unlucky one. Heh, maybe it thought it could have more fun tormenting then ripping that precious kid of yours to pieces?" Rodger laughed at the glare he received from the other. "But in all seriousness, we do have a sense of urgency. With the Blood Stone's power, I am sure we can stop this terrible beast from killing your son. Help in having Steven work with us, or have his blood on your hands. The ball is in your court."

Mr. Stone set the paper down as he weighed his decision. He was unsure if the man was bluffing or not. Could this text even be true? Could such a dangerous and unprecedented creature even exist? But if it did, and he did not convince Steven to help.. Mr. Stone did not want to think about what might happen. It was better to be safe than sorry. He just prayed that he was making the right decision. "What do I need to do?

* * *

"According to this, it should be-" Steven began, before he heard his phone ring. He located his phone in his pocket and answered it. "Hello?" He listened before he sat straight in his chair. His expression changed to one of shock and concern. "Are you all right?" He stayed silent a moment. "I can try calling him. Just stay there and we will get to Rustboro as soon as we can. Okay." Steven hung up and turned to Wallace, who regarded him with a quizzical expression. "That was Kennedy, my father's assistant. He said that he was attacked by someone. That and he can't get my father on the phone."

"Attacked? Is he all right?"

"He's at the hospital right now but they are releasing him." Steven said as he dialed his phone. He brought it to his ear and continued. "We should head over there anyway. This could have been that Rocket Team's doing." He waited, listening to the phone ring until Mr. Stone's voice mail came on. "Hey dad. It's Steven. Call me back when you get this." Steven hung up and let out a sigh. What was Mr. Stone doing that he could not answer? A meeting? But Kennedy would have been with him if that was so. Something was wrong about this whole situation. Steven rose to his feet and pushed in his chair. He exited out of the computer and started for the door.

"Hey wait up." Wallace said as he got up and quickly followed after him. He stopped as soon as Steven did, watching the shorter man release his Metagross. "Taking Metagross all the way to Rustboro? That's quite a hike."

"No. We are heading toward Lilycove City. There should be a helicopter waiting for us. Courtesy of Kennedy." Steven explained as he climbed up onto Metagross. He extended a hand and helped his friend up. Once situated, Metagross quickly head toward their rendezvous with the helicopter.

Within an hour, the two had made it to Rustboro City's hospital. Steven walked up the steps leading to the entrance, Wallace in tow. A blast of cold air greeted them, seemingly unnecessary compared to the temperature outside. The Gym Leader folded his arms subconsciously as he followed after the shorter man. "You would think they were trying to freeze their patients." His attempt at a joke seemed to fall on deaf ears as Steven did not even utter a sigh. The whole trip to Rustboro, Steven had attempted to call Mr. Stone but with no luck. The man was not answering his phone at all. It seemed to run in the family at this point. However, it was obvious to Wallace that Steven was getting a little anxious, though he said nothing to convey how he felt. He, himself, was beginning to worry about the older man's whereabouts. After all, he was like a second father to him. He hoped that nothing had happened to Mr. Stone.

Steven came to an abrupt halt, Wallace nearly banging into his back, as they reached the front desk. A nurse was sitting behind the tall counter, on the phone and speaking in a hushed tone. She was not paying much attention to anything around her, but the conversation she was having. A minute turned to several, and the silver-haired man's patience was wearing rather thin. He opened his mouth to speak, when a voice called to him. "Hey, Steven! Over here."

The pair turned to see Mr. Stone's assistant walk through a set of double doors. His black suit was ruffled up and spots of dried blood decorated the collar of his white undershirt. A dark bruise made its home blow his right eye and a bandage wrapped around his forehead. He looked nothing short of a train wreck. "Kennedy. How are you feeling?" Steven asked concerned, as he approached the assistant.

"I've been better. But I'm doing okay."

"What in the world even happened to you? Steven said you were attacked, but.." Wallace looked the other up and down.

Kennedy looked around the lobby, before motioning the two to follow him to a more secluded area. "I don't think it's a good idea to speak in the open. Come on." Both men exchanged glances before they followed after the assistant. Once they were in the furthest point of the room, Kennedy spoke in a hushed tone. "I'm not exactly sure what is going on at this point. I was leaving the Devon Corporation, when a van pushed me off the road. I ended up in an alleyway, but I guess they must have followed me. I got out, but was hit and knocked out. When I came to, I was here. I tried to call your father, but I did not get an answer. That's when I called you. I think he might be in danger."

Steven folded his arms and brought a hand to his chin in deep thought. Was it possible this was the work of Team Rocket? If so.. Why would they attack Kennedy? Unless.. A theory dawned on him. "Do you think that-" Steven began, when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at the caller ID. Seeing who it was, he promptly answered. "Dad?" He stayed silent for a moment. "Yes, I'm fine. We are in Rustboro City. Mmhm. He looks worse than he says he is. How did you-" Steven moved away from the group slightly as he listened on the phone. "Is something wrong? …No. Mhmm. Okay then. I will. Bye." He hung up the phone and stared at it for a moment.

"What was that about?" Wallace asked, taking a step forward along with Kennedy. They regarded the silver-haired man with curiosity.

"My father said he was at a meeting. And that he would stay in touch. But.."

"But what?" Wallace looked at his friend as he trailed off and looked to be bewildered.

Steven glanced at the Gym Leader before folding his arms and closing his eyes. "He did not sound.. right. Or rather, it was as if there was something amiss. I don't know."

Kennedy scratched the back of his head and sighed. "Since he called, he must be okay at least."

' _But why didn't he pick up before? Regardless of a meeting, he still answers his phone... and how did he know about Kennedy? Something is not right here..'_ Steven brought a hand to his forehead and rubbed his temples. Everything was so confusing. It was beginning to make his head spin.

Wallace exchanged a look with Kennedy, who spoke up. "Hey, Steven."

"Hmm?"

"How have you been lately?"

"Fine."

"Mm but just to be sure, did you want to at least have a doctor look you over? You did give your father a scare yesterday. It would ease his mind.. and a lot of others' too. We are in a hospital after all."

Steven opened his eyes and regarded Kennedy with a look that clearly displayed his annoyance on the subject. "I don't really think it's necessary. We have a lot of work to do. Besides, Wallace and I are one step closer to finding out what is going on. I'm fine."

Kennedy fell silent for a moment, before he folded his arms. This man was clearly his father's son. No doubt about it. The stubborn attitude was seemingly built into their DNA. "So you haven't felt ill or collapsed since that time?" Steven opened his mouth to speak but shut it, averting his eyes from the older man. "I take that as a no. Steven, you really can't keep going on without knowing what's wrong with you."

"It's not important right now."

"Not impor-"

"There is a bigger problem at the moment." Steven cut him off. "You said you could not get a hold of my father, right?" Kennedy nodded. "Since you couldn't.. how did he know about the attack on you? There is no way, unless he witnessed it or was informed of it."

"You may be right, but Mr. Stone is in my phone and they may have called him before I came to. I can't say for sure. But I must admit, it does seem odd that he knows about what happened."

Steven nodded. "I think we should head to the corporation and see if he's there. Just to be sure that he's safe."

"But-"

"I agree with Steven." Wallace looked from Kennedy to his friend, spotting a relieved look on the silver-haired man's face. He knew that forcing Steven to get seen by a doctor would ultimately not turn out well. If something was found, he would be most likely kept until all tests were run. In the meantime, Steven would be stressing out about Mr. Stone's whereabouts. It could wind up doing more harm then good at that point. And plus, Wallace was concerned about the older man as well. If he was in 'enemy's hands' so to speak, they needed to locate him as soon as possible. "We will check to see if Mr. Stone is at the corporation. If he is, then we will come back here and you will see a doctor. I mean it, Steven."

A reluctant look came across his face but he nodded in agreement. "I will. Kennedy, I think you should go home and get some rest. We will call you if anything comes up." Steven then looked at Wallace and motioned for him to follow. Wallace watched the younger man head toward the door and exchanged a look with Kennedy. He shrugged and followed after Steven.

Kennedy let out a sigh and shook his head slowly. "You should take your own advice, kid."

* * *

Mr. Stone stared at his phone, before placing it down on the table. He silently sighed, feeling terrible about lying to his son. Though, the young man was smart and probably had his suspicions that what he had said was not entirely true. "Thank you, Joseph. You did very well in not letting him catch on to what is going on." Mr. Stone looked up at Rodger, who was sitting back in his chair, grinning.

"Why couldn't I just tell him the truth? You want him to help you in your crazy shenanigans."

Rodger pursed his lips in thought. "Yes. That thought did occur to me. But, you see, we are not just dealing with some kid. He is the Hoenn Champion. If I were to let you tell him that I, well, took you against your will. Even though you were pathetic enough to simply waltz on into our hideout." He chuckled at the glare. "He would have his little buddies at the league come with him and rain Hell. Of course, I could always threaten to kill you, but I will not stoop to such barbaric levels. No, I am a proper scientist. I believe in kindness and the art of friendly persuasion."

Mr. Stone could not help but laugh. Was this man truly off his rocker? "You must be joking. You had your men attack my assistant, so you could force me into coming here. You call that 'kindness and the art of friendly persuasion'? And to top that off, you want a stone that will give you some sort of power? Do you hear yourself when you speak?"

The red head looked at Mr. Stone evenly. He dropped his feet from his desk and sat up straight in the chair. "You are in no position to make any sort of mockery of me. A snap of my fingers, and I can have your precious little brat dead. Not that he won't be soon enough. But I need him, so it would be wise for you to keep your comments to yourself."

"What do you mean by that."

"Did you not understand the text that I showed you? The person who wrote that was hunted by the same beast that preys on Steven. It reads so in the first part. As I understand, it toys with its victim, driving them to the brink of insanity. Then they are killed in the most gruesome manner. As a man of your caliber, I would not think this information would be hard to see. Unless, you do not wish to believe it to be so." Rodger said as he picked up another folder and opened it up. He removed a sheet of paper and tossed it onto the desk. "Believe what you wish, Joseph. For what was written, was fact."

Mr. Stone stared at Rodger for a moment, before turning his gaze down to the sheet of paper. He picked it up and read the paper:

' _I cannot get the image out of my head. The body, torn and twisted. Blood covering every possible surface. The ferocity of such an attack. It bewilders and terrifies me. What could have done this? The victim was hardly able to be recognized. His Pokemon, left in such an odious fashion. Our top investigators were just barely able to make out the two. A Tyrannitar and a Typhlosion. Both seemed to have put up a struggle in protecting the victim. But what could have done this? No human or Pokemon.. what is going on here? My team is currently questioning all persons in the area, but with no avail. It is as if the assailant was never visible or seen. Like it had come from the darkness and returned after its deadly bloodbath. I just wish.. oh Arcues.. that whatever had done this deed, remains in shadow. That no person shall bear witness to such a deadly creature._

 _March 31_

 _Investigator Johnathan Richards'._

Mr. Stone placed the paper down and stared at it blankly as he digested the information from the paper. So whatever that thing was.. it had slaughtered everything in its path. But how could it even be true? This was entirely unprecedented. Could this have all been an elaborate hoax to force him into making his son work with them? "I can sense your confusion. I assure you, that this paper was written by an investigator long ago. That this beast.. does exist. And I'm afraid, your son may be next on its list."

* * *

Wallace and Steven stood outside the Devon Corporation building, both unusually quiet. Upon investigating the building, they had discovered that Mr. Stone had not shown up to work that day. Worry seeded itself within Steven as he brought a hand to his chin in thought, closing his eyes. If his father was not here, then that meant he most certainly was lying about a meeting. Which only had one conclusion. That he was in trouble. Most likely taken by Team Rocket to be used as leverage. But the question was, was where had they taken him? "Maybe he is at home?"

Wallace's voice broke him from his thoughts. "No.. I don't think so. Maybe-" He looked over at the taller man and froze. The Gym Leader's face had changed completely. He had become completely white, his eyes glazed over. His cheeks were sunken in and blood dripped from mouth, nose and ears. Steven's eyes widened at the sight, his own flesh paling. He took a slight step back.

"Steven!" The silver-haired man felt Wallace grab his wrist and pull him forward as he nearly stepped backward off the top step. He looked at the steps behind him, before turning his attention back to Wallace; his breaths hard from the adrenaline pumping through his veins. The taller man was normal again and looking at him concerned. He held his friend by the shoulders, afraid he might collapse. "What just happened? You looked like you saw a Gastly and nearly walked backward off the steps. You could have broken your neck!"

"I-I'm sorry. I thought I saw something.." Steven moved away from the Gym Leader. "Thanks."

' _It is what he will become. You will do this. You will have his blood on your hands. Try and ignore it. But it will come to be._ ' A dark, whispering voice rang through Steven's mind, taunting him.

"Steven. What did you see?"

"It was nothing. We need to find my dad.." He muttered as he turned away from Wallace. He looked down at the steps, his mind wandering back to the voice he had heard. Would he really harm Wallace? No, that was out of the question. He would never harm him. But what if.. He reached in his pocket and took out two Pokeballs. Steven had left most of his Pokemon at his father's home. Only bringing Metagross for protection and Aron because she refused to leave his side. Steven stared at the two Pokeballs, a sickening feeling welling up within him. Metagross never disobeyed a command, and Aron was fairly new to the team, but loyal. What if- Steven shook his head from the thought. "Wallace. Can you do me a favour?"

Wallace moved to his side and looked at him. "What is it?"

"Can you hang onto my Pokemon for me? Just for a little bit." He took Wallace's wrist and placed the two Pokeballs in the Gym Leader's hand.

The man stared at the other dumbfounded. "Wha- Why are you asking me to hang onto them?"

"I have my reasons. Just for a little bit. I want them back." Steven said, before he started down the stairs.

Wallace looked from his friend to the Pokemon. Something was seriously wrong. ' _Why, Steven?_ '

* * *

 _ **Well, it certainly has been a while since I updated this fanfic. I have been busy with two jobs and well.. life. Anyway, I hope to get this back on track and continue until it is completed. I am currently working on the next chapter. Thank you for reading and I hope you all enjoy. What will the next chapter bring? *enter spoopy music***_


	12. Chapter Eleven: Fond Memories

A small, ghost of a smile tugged on Rodger's lips as he watched the forlorn man before him. Things were going quite well in his favour. All the pieces falling into their exact places. He folded his hands on the table and sat forward. "I know this is a difficult thing to grasp, but there is a way to prevent an unnecessary slaughter." Rodger's solemn expression broke into a small grin as he leaned further toward the other man. "Let me help you. It is very simple, child's play if you will. All you must do is convince your son to assist us in finding the stone. That's all." The red haired man sat back and spread his hands. "He does not even have to come here. I just need information. And in return? We won't harm your son. On the contrary, I will assign some men to watch over him. Like little guardian angels, ready to swoop in if that creature shows its face. How does that sound?"

Mr. Stone listened to the man speak, remaining silent. It was as if this man was dangling a carrot in front of him. He knew his weaknesses and how to exploit them. His eyes flickered from the paper to Rodger, holding his gaze. "How can I trust you? How do I know this isn't some sort of elaborate scheme?"

"Ah I do admire your skepticism, but I assure you, we did not make up some fantasy story. It would be an utter waste of both my time and yours. Trust me, I am not one to sit idle as I am now. The point is, we need help finding this stone. I have stated this already. You want your son to live, am I right? Think of it as some sort of.. Symbiotic relationship." Rodger shrugged his shoulders, a smirk crossing his lips. "You help me find my stone, and I protect your kid. He is more useful to us alive than dead anyway." Rodger chuckled to himself, before he picked up a pen laying on his desk. He pulled a blank note card from a drawer to his right and wrote on it. "This is my number. I will give you some time to think about it. I trust you won't take too long deciding. The clock is ticking, and time is running short for Steven." Rodger set the pen down and pushed the note card toward Mr. Stone. "Bryan. Tell Edward outside that he is to take Joseph to his home. See to it that he gets there safely. We are done with our little meeting." Both Bryan and Mr. Stone looked at Rodger in bewilderment, before Rodger rose his eyebrows. "Well? Did I stutter?"

Bryan cleared his throat. "No sir." He tapped on Mr. Stone's shoulder, signaling him to get up. The older man complied, grabbing the card as he did. He hesitated, before he walked away from the desk and was shown out the door. Once the instructions were passed on, Bryan closed the door and looked over at Rodger. This was, by far, one to the strangest things he had witnessed. "Um, sir? Forgive me for asking, but why did you just let him go? Wasn't he going to be used as leverage? Why go through all the trouble of bringing him here, if you were going to send him home? You even shared information that-"

Rodger sat back in his chair and placed his legs on the desk, crossing one over the other. A cheshire grin formed on his face as he folded his hands in his lap. "Oh Bryan. Still as naive as ever, I see. At first, it seemed like a good plan, but nothing was set in stone so to speak. I gained what I needed to. There is no reason to keep him here. It would only backfire on us. Rather than helping us out, a rescue mission would be launched. Thus creating an unnecessary fight. Instead, I have divulged information about the Blood Stone, which you see as a mistake. I see it as a great step forward. Why? I mostly spoke of the murderous beast that is said to be tied to it. Time is of the essence, yes. But it ticks far faster in his court. Having the knowledge that his son will die.. That is the true leverage. The key to getting what we want. Mr. Stone will do anything for him. You witnessed his rather uncouth outburst before at a simple hint of us knowing more about Steven's health than he did. Never doubt the ties of blood, dear Bryan. Joseph Stone will get Steven to cooperate with us, or else his son's death will be on his hands."

Wallace followed after Steven as he walked up the steps to his father's house. He hoped that the older man would be home, safe and sound. That way, the Gym Leader could get his friend some much needed help. Rather than things getting better, they seemed to be only escalating. This was the second time Steven had acted like he had seen something that was not there. If they were not in such a precarious situation, Wallace would have thought the man had lost his mind. But he knew Steven. The man was sane, and stayed well grounded in any type of situation. What could it have been that got him so.. terrified? ' _If only he would just open up a bit more to me. I doubt it._ ' Wallace thought to himself as he stopped at the front door. He watched as Steven unlocked the door, and opened it, stepping inside. Wallace followed behind him, closing the door as he did.

"Hey dad! Are you here?" Steven called out, cupping a hand to the side of his mouth. Silence was all that replied. "Where could he have gone?" The younger man muttered to himself as he walked toward the steps heading upstairs.

The Gym Leader remained silent as he began to search the bottom floor. The result was the same. Mr. Stone was nowhere in the house. This only added to the growing suspicion that he was possibly taken by Team Rocket. Unharmed by the sound of it, but it was still worrisome nonetheless. Wallace walked back into the living room and spotted Steven coming down the steps. The man seemed troubled, and Wallace did not bother to ask about the result of his search. "So what now?"

"Well… he did say he would call me in an hour or two. I guess we will have to wait to hear from him. If we don't, we will start a search for him. I don't want to put him in jeopardy if we try to find him too soon." Steven answered as he joined his friend and folded his arms. As much as he hated to wait and do nothing, it was unwise to take a gamble when lives were involved. Especially those close to him. "I'm going to continue where I left off at the library.. I'll be in the kitchen."

Steven was about to walk away, when Wallace caught his wrist. Steven paused and looked from Wallace's hand to his face questiongly. "Why don't you get some rest? I'll do some research. You won't be of any use to anyone if we do need to search for your father if you're lacking sleep." Steven opened his mouth to speak, but Wallace brought a hand up to silence him. "You aren't fine, Steven. Just humour me, will you? An hour nap is all I ask of you. Your dad may even come home in that amount of time."

Deep down, Steven knew Wallace was right. He was slowly becoming unsure of himself. Between the dreams and hallucinations… that voice. In the event they did have to rescue his father, he could not have his own body impede on him. Exhaustion was slowly creeping up on him, and that was when mistakes would happen. Mistakes that could turn deadly with the snap of fingers. "You're right. I'll go up to my room for the time being. Can you wake me up in an hour or if my father comes home?" Wallace nodded and the silver haired man smiled. "Thanks." He took a step toward the stairs, and halted. "I'm sorry, Wallace. This must be confusing.. I will explain everything when I can. Just.. not now."

"Just go get some sleep." Wallace waved him off, and watched as the younger man climbed up the steps, disappearing from his line of sight. As soon as he had gone, Wallace's mind became clouded in thought. Mainly about the short conversation he had had with Steven on the steps of the Devon Corporation. What did he mean by it? The Gym Leader walked over to a chair and sat down, removing a Pokeball from his pocket. Inside, was Steven's first Pokemon. His partner for many years. Metagross. The two had been through it all together, the good and bad times. Steven loved all his Pokemon dearly, but he shared a special bond with Metagross. The same bond that Wallace, himself, shared with Milotic. Wallace turned the ball over in his hand and stared at it. Memories of the first day they had met Metagross came flooding back. ' _Why Steven?_ '

* * *

 _The sun was nestled high in the sky, casting its warm rays on the world below. The forest tree tops swayed with the gentle, cool breeze. A few Taillow sang from their perches, enjoying the summer day. Two young boys made their way up a winding, mountain path. They were dressed in pale purple shirts, PokeCamp written on the front and khaki shorts. The first boy had silver hair and the second, green. "Steven! Wait up! Don't go so fast, will ya? We're going to get lost!"_

" _Awww c'mon Wally! It's not much further! Just around that bend up ahead!"_

" _Easy for you to say!" Wallace shot back, trying to keep up with the smaller boy ahead of him. "You at least know where you're going! And don't call me Wally. It makes me sound like a baby!"_

 _Steven turned back toward his friend and grinned. "Okay okay. I won't. But hurry up, because we're almost there." He pointed at a side path that drifted slightly off the trail they were currently on. It was half covered with foliage, and gnarled roots half rose from the dirt, making the ground uneven._

 _Wallace arched an eyebrow as he came to a stop along side his friend. "Are you sure this is the right way?" He asked suspiciously. "It looks like no one's been on that path for years."_

" _Yes, that's what the book's map says at least." Steven smiled excitedly. "It looks like fun to me."_

" _Oh yeah, fun. We are going to get in trouble with the camp counselor again. He might even call our parents this time." Wallace warned, looking over at Steven as he folded his arms across his chest. "I really don't want to get grounded for the rest of the summer by my mom and dad. Plus my sister will laugh at me for getting scolded."_

" _You don't have to come, you know. I asked if you wanted to." Steven countered, as he looked back at the trail. "You can always go back. I think they wanted us to make macaroni pictures."_

 _Wallace puffed out his cheeks. "Sure. You get to have a fun adventure, while I make a stupid picture with noodles."_

 _Steven grinned in victory. "Then let's go! We can be there and back before the counselor even knows we're gone." He stepped off the main path, Wallace following close behind him._

 _They stepped over the roots and maneuvered through the brush threatening to engulf the small path. It was almost like the plants were forming some sort of barrier against intruders on sacred land. Within ten minutes, the path cleared up before the mouth of an enormous cave. It was built into the side of the mountain's rock face, rising several feet into the air- as if it were competing with the trees. "So this was the really cool place you were talking about?" Wallace asked, looking from the cave to his friend. It would figure his best friend would take him to some creepy cave. The boy was obsessed with them and rocks. Wallace really could not understand it, but was supportive just the same. After all, he was a bit obsessed with bodies of water and oceans._

" _Yes. Isn't it really awesome?" Steven said, excitement in his voice. "Imagine all the really cool rocks we can find and the Pokemon we can make friends with!"_

 _Wallace looked at him a bit dubiously. "Bet we'll just get chased out by a bunch of Zubat." He looked back toward the darkness of the cave. "I don't see what's so cool about a cave, but since we're here, we might as well go in. We have to get back before we get in trouble."_

" _That's the spirit!" Steven pat his friend on the back. "Come on!" He removed a small flashlight from his pocket and switched it on. With a quick sweep of the opening, Steven started into the cave._

 _Wallace watched his friend for a moment before letting out a sigh. "We are going to get in so much trouble." He followed after Steven, sticking close so he would not get lost. "How do people even like these places?" He muttered to himself, looking about as they walked deeper into the cave. The cavern was wide and a bit roomy, that a person with claustrophobia would find it tolerable. Stalactites decorated the ceiling, all different shapes and sizes, as stalagmites rose like a mini maze from the ground. The temperature was much cooler than outside, giving a gloomy yet refreshing feel. Despite this, Wallace still found it to be slightly uncomfortable._

 _Steven, on the other hand, was enjoying the sights like it was Christmas morning. He paused every so often, examining the different rock formations. "This is really amazing! Look at those Zubat too!" The silver-haired boy said jovially as he pointed the flashlight upward._

 _Wallace quickly pushed the flashlight down. "Yeah real cool, now stop doing that. You're going to wake them up or something."_

" _Are you afraid of some Zubat?" Steven asked, looking up at his friend mischievously._

" _No! I just don't want to be chased around. That's all."_

" _Sure."_

" _Hey! It's-"_

" _Shh!" Steven rose a finger to his own lips. "Did you hear that?"_

" _Come on, Steven. That's not very funn-" Wallace began but silenced himself when he heard it. It sounded like a Pokemon that was in some sort of distress. Wallace looked over at Steven, only to see that the boy had already started in the direction of the sound. "Steven! Hey.. wait up!" The green-haired boy hissed as he hurried after him. The path they followed led to a sharp bend. Steven came to a halt before it, keeping the flashlight pointed downward. He heard footsteps behind him and glanced to see Wallace had caught up. The two exchanged a silent look, before nodding that they were ready. Steven started around the bend quickly, the older boy quickly on his heels. Beyond, lay another cavern that was primarily bare, with exception of a small solitary, metal cage. It was positioned on the ground near the far wall, a low hum emitting from it. The cage was most likely electrified. Steven moved the beam of the light over the bars and froze at what he saw. Inside the cage, was a Beldum of a different colour. Rather than the usual blue hue, its steel body was a light-coloured grey. It looked beat up, alone and very afraid. The boy gripped the flashlight tightly in his hand as anger took hold. Who would dare do that to a Pokemon? He took a step forward and felt a hand grab his wrist. "Careful Steven. That cage must have electricity running through it."_

" _I know, but we've got to do something." Steven said as he pulled his wrist free. "We can't just leave it in there." He looked around before cautiously walking up to the trapped Pokemon. The Beldum moved back as far as it could, watching the boy fearfully. Steven stopped at the cage and offered a small, reassuring smile. "It's okay. I'm going to set you free, okay?"_

" _Bel?"_

 _Beldum hesitated before it float a little away from its corner. "Don't worry about a thing. You'll be free in no time!" Steven took a step back, looking around the entirety of the cage. Spotting a wire wrapping around the top, he traced it with the light along the ceiling. He stepped past the cage and toward a rocky mass nearby, half his height. Behind it, lay a strange contraption. 'This must be where the power is coming from.' The boy walked over to the machine and studied it. Different knobs were scattered along the face, a few green lights above some of them. Steven brought a hand to his chin in thought. 'If I turn the wrong one, I could hurt Beldum.'_

 _Wallace joined him, looking at the machine. "We should hurry before whoever did this comes back."_

 _Steven nodded and looked from the machine, to the wiring. "All we have to do is pull the main plug. That should do it." He handed off the flashlight and stepped closer to the box. With careful footsteps, he managed to get around the machine and stopped at the plug. "It just connects here. There isn't a way to pull it out.." His voice trailed off as he looked around. "Wallace. Over there! There's a metal pipe. I think if I hit it hard enough, the wire might come loose."_

 _The green-haired boy turned toward where Steven pointed and spotted a large, metal pipe. He quickly moved over to it, picked it up and handed it off to Steven. "Just be careful. Don't to shock yourself."_

" _I won't." Steven said as he took a few steps back, the pipe heavy in his hands. It would take a bit of effort, but they had to free Beldum. He lifted the pipe up as high as he could, and brought it down on the back of the machine. It hit the wire by the base, causing blue sparks to fly. The boy jumped back in surprise, but readied the pipe once more as soon as the sparks stopped. 'One more time should do it.' He thought to himself, as he lifted the pipe and swung down with all his might._

 _As the pipe connected with the wire, it was ripped from its mount. More sparks flew as smoke rose from the now exposed hole. The low hum of the cage came to an abrupt stop, and Steven smiled. "I think it worked!"_

 _Wallace helped him back over. "That was pretty dangerous, you know. But good job."_

" _Thanks, but we still have to get Beldum out of there." Steven moved over to the cage and searched for the opening. It was a sliding door, that did not appear to be locked. He gripped the bars and gave a hard tug. "It's stuck. Give me a hand." Wallace nodded and stood beside Steven. "On three. One, two, three!" The two pulled at the door as hard as they could, not letting up an inch. The door suddenly gave way, causing the two boys to stumble backward, nearly falling. "We did it!"_

 _Beldum watched the two boys open the cage, a bit tentative. Why were they going through all this trouble to save it? Were there nice people like this? It looked at them cautiously, waiting for them to make a move. When they did not, it slowly float out of the cage. "Hey you kids! What are you doing with my catch?"_

 _Both Wallace and Steven jumped, spinning around toward the sound of the voice. Across the cavern, was another tunnel, now occupied by a burly, stern-looking man. He wore a black shirt with a tan, heavy duty vest over it. His pants were hunter green in colour and his pant legs were tucked into shin-high tan boots. The man had a scar running the length of his face and a menacing pair of beady eyes. If anyone could be a poster child for a classic bad guy, he was it. He took a step forward and Steven moved in front of the Beldum. "Catch? That's not how you treat Pokemon!"_

" _Says who? Step aside kid. That Beldum's gonna make me a load of money. It's a rare Pokemon and that colour will up its value to a small fortune."_

 _Steven glared at the man. He could not believe what he was saying. There were really people like this in the world? "You're not taking Beldum."_

" _Aren't you a funny kid. What are you going to do? Tell your mommy and daddy on me?_

 _Wallace stepped alongside his friend, raising his arms at his side. "You heard him. You're not taking it."_

 _The man's expression turned sour as he cracked his knuckles. "Looks like I'll have to teach you brats a lesson. You shouldn't meddle in adult affairs." He removed a Pokeball from his belt and tossed it into the air. "Sableye!" A dark purple Pokemon appeared from its ball. It had pale blue, gemstone-like eyes that refracted eerily in the dark. A red gemstone was positioned on its chest and the Pokemon's back had blue and green gems. Its teeth were pointed, giving it a shark-like grin. "If you kids had any sense, you would start running away now. Don't make me sick this guy on you."_

 _Steven stood his ground, refusing to move. "We aren't going to let you take Beldum. Pokemon should not be sold for profit! They are our friends!"_

 _The man bust out laughing. "Friends? Pokemon are just useful things. Rare ones bring in a lot of money. The rest are just tools. You two are simply pests in the way. This is your final warning."_

 _Wallace glanced at Steven, the two nodding. He then took a small step forward. "You're not going to take that Pokemon. What you said is wrong. Pokemon aren't tools to just use or items to sell. They are our friends. We will stop you."_

 _The man grit his teeth angrily. So both of these boys were going to be defiant. "You asked for it. Sableye, teach these kids a lesson!"_

 _Before the boys could even react, a mass of dark purple energy flew at them. The attack hit the ground before their feet, sending both Wallace and Steven flying. The two hit the ground harshly as the man approached. Steven grit his teeth as he pushed his body up the best he could. 'He's going to take Beldum!' The silver-haired boy managed to get his feet under him, despite the painful protests of his body._

" _See? Don't mess with me, you brats." The Hunter grinned as he set his sights on the scared Beldum. He took a few steps toward them, when suddenly Steven ran past him. The man's eyes widened momentarily, before they narrowed dangerously. The boy had planted himself between the him and his rare find. "You want another beating, boy? I suggest you stand aside before you really get hurt."_

 _Steven stretched out his arms, shielding the Pokemon. "I'm not letting you pass! You're not going to take Beldum!"_

" _You've got some nerve, kid!" The man lunged forward and grabbed Steven's shirt by the collar. He easily hoisted the boy off the ground and grit his teeth, his fist clenched tightly. "I'm going to teach you a lesson you'll never forget."_

 _Wallace groaned as he lifted his head up from the ground. It was aching terribly and it took a moment for his vision to focus. When it did, his eyes widened as he saw the man poised to punch his friend. "Steven!"_

 _As the man drew back his fist, the sound of running footsteps resonated through the cavern behind him. Within seconds, the Hunter was hit from behind harshly. It was enough to cause the man to lose his balance, dropping Steven in the process. "What the-?" The man spun on his heels and paled a few shades at what he saw. Standing at the entrance of the cavern, was Officer Jenny and another person, a man. Before them, was a Growlithe snarling at him. Outnumbered, he inwardly growled before lowering himself to his knees. The Hunter put his hands to his head as Officer Jenny rushed over to arrest him._

 _Steven rose to his feet, Wallace running over to him. Both had a few scrapes but seemed fine. Before the green-haired boy could speak, footsteps approached them. "I knew I would find you here. I told you to stay at camp.. Did I not?" Mr. Stone said as he stopped before them, placing a hand on each of their shoulders gently. "Are you two okay?"_

" _We're okay, dad." Steven spoke up, before looking down at his feet. "I'm sorry. It was my idea to come here. Wallace didn't even want to come. I just saw the book and thought this place would be really cool to visit. I won't do it again.."_

" _I came anyway.. It's not like you forced me. Besides, we saved that Beldum."_

" _I am proud of you both for doing so.. But regardless, that was a dangerous thing to do. Always tell someone where you're going. What if either one of you got seriously hurt? Understand?" Both boys nodded. "Good, now let's get going."_

 _Steven nodded and took a step forward, when he felt a bump to his back. He paused, looking over his shoulder. Behind him, was the Beldum that they had rescued. It had come out of its cage, but decided to remain as close to Steven as possible. It seemed still afraid and a bit lonely. The silver-haired boy turned around to face the Pokemon with a smile. "I have to go now, Beldum. You'll be safe now. You must have friends in here, right?" Steven turned away and began to walk, when Beldum bumped his again._

" _I think it wants to come with us." Wallace interjected, looking from the Pokemon to Steven._

 _The boy's face brightened as he turned to his father. "Dad. Do you think we can keep it? I promise I will take care of Beldum. Besides, what if another hunter comes back for it?"_

 _Mr. Stone looked from Steven, to the Pokemon and back. After a moment, he sighed and smiled. "As long as you take care of it, I don't see why not. I'm sure you two are going to be very close partners in the future. But that takes a lot of training."_

" _Thank you dad!" Steven hugged his father, before turning to Beldum. "You hear that! We are going to be best friends, Beldum!"_

* * *

Wallace was snapped from his revere, when he heard the front door open up. The man quickly replaced the Pokeball, before rising from his seat. About to take a step forward, he froze in his tracks. Mr. Stone had appeared through the threshold, closing the door behind him. The man seemed lost in his own thoughts. Wallace doubted the man had even noticed or sensed his presence in the room. Thankfully, the older man appeared not to have been hurt. Troubled but uninjured. It would certainly give Steven some relief in knowing that. Wallace cleared his throat, before speaking up gently so not to surprise the older man. "Mr. Stone. Hey."

The words must have been enough to snap Mr. Stone from his thoughts. He visibly jumped at the words, before sighing to himself. "Wallace." Relief flooded his voice as he gazed around the living room. "Where's Steven?"

"He's upstairs."

"How is he?"

Wallace looked at the older man, his face full of worry. The man certainly had a right to know what was going on. It was not fair to keep him entirely in the dark. ' _I'm sorry, Steven.._ ' Wallace's expression grew firm as he walked over to Mr. Stone. "Actually.. There's something I need to tell you."

* * *

 _ **Well, this chapter was about seven months in the making. Got sidetracked and the worst case of writer's block. Many apologies.**_

 _ **The idea of how Steven met Beldum was the result of my sister and I making up some head-canons for a roleplay. She came up with the idea that Steven rescued Beldum from a Pokemon Hunter. I fleshed out the head-canon into the memory part of the chapter. So, thank you sis for this great idea, and this chapter could not have been made possible without your input.**_

 _ **Anyway, I want to thank the readers who are bearing with me on this fanfic. I really do appreciate it. I do plan on finishing this story and will not give up on it. Besides, it is not nearly over yet. If you do like the story, feel free to write a review. I welcome feedback, may it be good or bad (Please don't throw me in the wringer.. I'm too noodly for that).**_

 _ **As always, thank you for reading! Next chapter is halfway complete, so hopefully it won't be as long a wait.**_

 _ **~FC**_


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